Brampton Plant Could See Chinese Cars, Reports Say

Alongside the 49,000 electric vehicles that can be imported each year from China to Canada without facing a 100% tariff, some might also be produced locally in Canada.

As per reports from Bloomberg and Automotive News, Stellantis has begun early discussions with Leapmotor (which it partly owns) to manufacture Chinese electric vehicles at its plant in Brampton, Ontario.

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The facility currently employs about 3,000 unionized workers but is inactive at the moment due to a lack of products to produce-both now and in the near future. The next-generation Jeep Compass that was initially meant for Brampton will instead be made at a factory across the border following Stellantis’ $13 billion USD investment aimed at avoiding tariffs set by the Trump administration. Ottawa is looking for reimbursement for the financial support it previously provided to the automaker.

Photo: Stellantis

A spokesperson for Stellantis told media outlets that all options remain available to bring life back into the site. The company is actively engaging with government officials and important stakeholders to foster conditions favorable for sustainable investments in Brampton.

If this goes through, it could become Canada’s first manufacturing plant for Chinese cars, specifically catering to our market and potentially Mexico as well. However, there’s strong resistance from the U. S., as Ohio Senator Bernie Moreno recently labeled Chinese cars a “cancer,” and back in January, Trump warned of imposing 100% tariffs on Canadian goods if our country and China formed an alliance in automotive manufacturing.

Photo: Leapmotor

What is Leapmotor?

Leapmotor is one of China’s rapidly growing automotive brands, having sold over 100,000 vehicles for four straight quarters. Since 2023, Stellantis has held a 20% stake in the company and they’ve established a joint venture aimed at producing and selling vehicles across several global markets.

Leapmotor stands out from many competitors by producing most of its components and hardware internally rather than relying heavily on suppliers.

The T03 city car might not appeal much to Canadian drivers because of its limited power (95 hp) and range (about 300 km), but models like the B10 and C10 crossovers are different stories. Both come with fully electric options as well as range-extending versions. The B10 starts at €28,400 in France, translating roughly to $46,500 CAD.

Photo: Leapmotor

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