Stellantis NYSE:STLA plans to launch a new China-made Jeep model in Europe by 2030, marking a deeper push into Chinese manufacturing as the automaker looks to rebuild momentum around one of its core global brands. The large SUV will be jointly developed with Dongfeng Motor and produced at Dongfeng's facility in Wuhan, expanding a partnership that had previously looked uncertain under former CEO Carlos Tavares.
Current CEO Antonio Filosa has revived the Dongfeng alliance, with Stellantis also setting up a new venture that it will own 51%, allowing the Chinese state-backed company to manufacture its own vehicles at a Stellantis plant in France. The new Jeep will arrive as part of a broader European expansion, with Stellantis aiming to grow Jeep's regional lineup from two models today to six by the end of the decade.
For investors, the move could be an important test of whether Stellantis can use Chinese manufacturing, technology, and supply chains to sharpen its competitiveness without diluting Jeep's American brand identity. Stellantis shares slipped 0.4% in Milan, while the stock is down 49% this year, leaving the China-made Jeep strategy tied closely to a turnaround story still facing pressure.