New Chevette? Vauxhall’s building a cheap EV with Chinese help, here in 2028

Vauxhall will launch a new electric crossover in mid-2028. Since design has barely started, that two-year timeframe is stunningly quick. It'll be about the size of a Skoda Elroq and the company is aiming for great value. How will it manage that speed and price? You guessed it: China.

It's down to a partnership with Leapmotor, with which it already has a cross-shareholding. The new car will be designed at Opel-Vauxhall's studio in Rüsselsheim, Germany, and developed by hardware engineers there. But the motor, electronics and battery come from Leapmotor.

The car is about 4.5 metres long, Vauxhall-Opel boss Florian Huettl tells TopGear.com. That's a very big-selling size. The Mokka and Frontera are notably smaller, the Grandland bigger.

The expertise in electric drive and cost of batteries really matters. And quick development means the money starts rolling in ASAP, and the car is as modern as it can be at launch.

"We learned from the processes that are known as 'China speed'. We use the development processes and sequences and more digital solutions from Leapmotor – and Chinese development centres everywhere. We inspire and connect Rüsselsheim engineering with Leapmotor processes," says Huettl.

But he stresses this isn't a rebadged Chinese car. While elements of the underbody and all the electric system are Leapmotor's, his team has clear areas of responsibility. "We ensure Opel-Vauxhall skills on everything that relates to drivetrain, steering, packaging, seating, lighting, interior that you know from our brand." He says it will have its own design and cabin – and physical buttons, not a Leapmotor-type all-screen interface.

To keep cost down it uses an LFP battery. Huettl says this cheaper chemistry when designed and built with Chinese expertise really cuts cost. "Affordability matters to our customers."

It won't be built in China though. It'll come from Opel's factory in Spain that currently builds the Corsa. If subsidies for European-built EVs persist, it should be well placed. Huettl says they're doing lots of scenario planning on the car's supply chain to work with whatever subsidies and incentives and tariffs might be in place come launch.

The new Corsa will still be built there too. The Corsa and the EV crossover will come down separate production lines because they use different platforms: the Corsa will be on the 'SLTA Small' basis with both EV and petrol drive.

The EV crossover production line will also build a Leapmotor car. Parent company Stellantis has a 51 per cent stake in Leapmotor's activities out in China, so will get some revenue from that too.

Huettl said as a PS it might use a familiar name. What do you think? Do a Puma and call it Calibra or Tigra? Or resurrect the Zafira name, a massive seller in its day? Comments below please.