Vauxhall to launch new electric SUV with Leapmotor
Vauxhall and Leapmotor are currently working on a new family electric SUV due to arrive in 2028...
Vauxhall will launch a new electric SUV in 2028, developed as part of a joint venture with Chinese brand Leapmotor.
Details are still thin on the ground, but it’s confirmed that the new model will take a historic Vauxhall name. It will slot in between the Frontera and Grandland in the British firm’s lineup.
Vauxhall's parent company, Stellantis, owns a stake in Leapmotor, so neither brands are strangers. The new model will sit on Leapmotor underpinnings and will be equipped with the firm's battery tech, which will allow it to be developed and produced quickly. Vauxhall will be responsible for the design, driving experience and engineering.
While specific technical details are yet to be revealed, it's likely many components will be shared in order to keep manufacturing costs low. However, it won’t simply be a rebadged car from that brand, with Vauxhall insisting that it will be a joint effort. Vauxhall-Opel CEO Florian Huettl confirmed to our sister title Autocar that while it remains to be seen how the infotainment system will be implemented, the new model will have technology found in other Vauxhall models and will feature physical buttons.
At around 4.5m long, the new model will be a similar size to compact family electric SUVs like the Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq.
We can expect it to don similar styling to Vauxhall’s other electric cars, including the ‘Vizor’ front end and compass motif at both the front and rear.
Leapmotor and Stellantis are currently in talks to create a new production line at the latter’s plant in Zaragoza, Spain, to produce the new model alongside the Vauxhall Corsa.
Pricing is a long way from being revealed, but for reference, the Frontera currently starts at £23,995 in all-electric form, while the electric Grandland is priced from £35,095 – meaning the new SUV could have a starting price of around £28,000. That would make it significantly cheaper than the Renault Scenic and Skoda Elroq.
Leapmotor currently produces three models: the B10 small SUV, the C10 family SUV and T03 city car, while the new B03X is due to arrive later this year. Production of the B10 will move from China to Stellantis’s Zaragoza plant this year.
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