Stellantis, the automotive group that encompasses 14 brands —Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, and Vauxhall— announced last Thursday the renewal of its industrial alliance with the Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng to produce a new generation of electric vehicles at the Wuhan plant, intended for both the Chinese market and global export.
The announcement was made at the 2026 Beijing International Auto Show, where Dongfeng Peugeot and Dongfeng Citroën jointly unveiled four design studies that foreshadow the production range expected for 2027.
Peugeot showcased the Concept 6, a large sedan with a shooting brake silhouette and a triple lion claw LED signature, and the Concept 8, a large SUV that is positioning itself as the flagship product in the new energy market.
Both models will feature steer-by-wire technology, the Hypersquare steering system without a mechanical column, advanced level 3 driver assistance systems—hands-free and eyes-free—and personalized driving modes.
Dongfeng Citroën, for its part, introduced the ELO Concept, a compact electric MPV measuring 4,100 mm in length with a 100% electric platform, rear-wheel drive, opposite sliding doors, no B-pillar, and V2L functionality for powering external devices, as well as the Polygon Concept, which anticipates technologies such as 3D-printed recycled plastic wheels and customizable seats made using the same technique.
The CEO of Peugeot, Alain Favey, emphasized in Beijing the strategic importance of China for the group: "Beijing is a key stage for Peugeot today. This exhibition is not only to present future product plans but also to reaffirm our ambition. China is a crucial driver of our global transformation, especially in electrification, innovation, and brand elevation."
According to the official statement from Stellantis, the new vehicles "foretell a new range of large sedans and SUVs, produced in China for China, as well as for export from China to Peugeot's international markets," combining French design with Dongfeng technology and the manufacturing quality of the Wuhan plant.
This relaunch comes after years of dramatic sales decline for French brands in the Asian country: from a peak of 734,000 combined units in 2014, numbers plummeted to 68,000 in 2024 and just 43,000 in 2025, with a market share of less than 0.3%.
The strategy of the former CEO Carlos Tavares was described as "asset-light" and involved closing factories and withdrawing capital from China.
The new CEO Antonio Filosa, appointed in 2025, has redirected the group's course and announced in April 2026 that Stellantis will focus its investment on four core brands: Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, and Fiat, while the others will share platforms and technology.
The alliance between Dongfeng and the French brands of Stellantis has its roots in 1992, when the joint venture DPCA (Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile) was established as a 50/50 agreement between Dongfeng Motor Corporation and PSA Peugeot Citroën, with its headquarters and production plant located in Wuhan.
Favey has set a goal of achieving 500,000 sales in export markets by 2030 and aims to position Peugeot among the top five European brands in the world with 1.5 million units per year: "In the coming years, China must become a key production hub in Peugeot's global transformation plan."
Filed under: