Ontario Premier Warns on Stellantis-Leapmotor Talks on EVs

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he’d oppose any deal between Stellantis NV and China’s Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. to build electric vehicles in his province unless the automakers are buying local parts.

Ford assailed the potential use of “knockdown kits,” where the cars are largely built in China and then shipped overseas for final assembly. Stellantis and Leapmotor are discussing options for making EVs in Canada, Bloomberg News reported earlier, citing people familiar with the matter. The talks are at an early stage.