Leapmotor International gains Europrivacy certification for European connected-car operations

Certification announced for the joint venture's European operations

Leapmotor International B.V., the joint venture between Stellantis and Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor, has achieved Europrivacy certification for key areas of its European operations, becoming one of the first automotive companies to do so. AutoTalk Australia reports the certification was delivered by independent assurance and risk management provider DNV and covers three business processes: marketing and profiling, vehicle maintenance services and connected services. ¹

Stellantis announced on October 26 that the joint venture had received the Europrivacy certification from DNV, positioning the company as among the first automotive businesses to receive the credential, according to industry news service MarkLines. The joint venture, in which Stellantis holds a 51 per cent controlling stake, sells Leapmotor's Chinese-developed electric vehicles outside China. ⁴²

Leapmotor says the certification marks what it calls a significant milestone in the company's commitment to data protection, transparency and customer trust, and that it underscores the joint venture's commitment to embedding privacy, security and regulatory compliance across its connected mobility ecosystem. ¹

What Europrivacy is and what the audit examined

Europrivacy is recognised as an official European Data Protection Seal under Article 42 of the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation, providing independent verification that data-processing activities within the certified scope meet European privacy requirements and recognised best practices. Polish outlet Francuskie.pl notes the criteria for the mechanism were approved by the European Data Protection Board. ¹³

AutoTalk Australia reports the assessment examined governance structures, roles and responsibilities, contractual frameworks, data-flow management, technical safeguards, cybersecurity measures and the information technology systems supporting the three certified processes. Auditors also considered Leapmotor's alignment with standards and regulatory frameworks applying to the automotive, connected-vehicle, cybersecurity and digital-services sectors. ¹

Francuskie.pl adds that three entries for Leapmotor International B.V. appear in the register of the European Centre for Certification and Privacy, covering Marketing and Profiling, Connected Services and Car Maintenance, confirming the defined scope of the certification to the named processes. ³

Why the credential is pointed for a Chinese-linked brand

Automotive World describes the credential as pointed for a Chinese-linked brand at a time of growing scrutiny over connected car data from China. The publication notes the certification applies to the joint venture's European processes rather than Leapmotor's operations in China, a structure it says lets Leapmotor sell connected cars in Europe through a European-governed entity. ²

Automotive World's analysis also frames the limits of the seal: it covers the Dutch joint venture's sales, after-sales and connected service processes, and does not by itself address the concern most often raised about Chinese brands, namely whether vehicle data could be accessed under Chinese national security law. The publication adds that with the United States barring Chinese connected vehicle software and Brussels debating its own response, independent proof of EU data compliance could become an advantage for Chinese brands with European partners. This is the outlet's analysis rather than a company position. ²

Francuskie.pl observes the context in Poland, where the military has barred Chinese-made vehicles from entering its facilities, with the data-processing scope, including camera imagery, among the interests raised. The outlet also notes Leapmotor's expanding over-the-air software work, citing previously reported remote updates for the B10 and new functions for the T03 and C10, which increase the significance of transparent data-processing rules. DriveAgent has not independently verified those earlier product reports. ³

Leapmotor says the certification provides independent recognition that the assessed processes meet European data-protection standards, reflects collaboration across its business, legal, technology, operations, cybersecurity and data-protection teams, and strengthens its position as a provider of intelligent and connected mobility services in Europe. ¹

The backdrop: European manufacturing and in-house development

The certification arrives during a period of European expansion for Leapmotor. MarkLines reports that on October 16, Stellantis and Leapmotor officially started production of the Leapmotor B10 at the Zaragoza plant in Spain, with Zaragoza selected for the plant's quality, available capacity and industrial expertise. MarkLines characterises Spanish manufacturing of the B10 as a further step in Leapmotor's internationalisation strategy. ⁶

Days later, MarkLines reports Leapmotor announced on October 19 that it plans to produce the Leapmotor B05 at Stellantis's Zaragoza plant as well, describing planned production as part of the company's global strategy to combine rapid innovation with strong local industrial capabilities. The B05 plan is a production intention, not a confirmed on-sale program, and no local launch timing is stated in the report. ⁷

On the technology side, MarkLines reports Stellantis Spain said on October 22 that Leapmotor develops around 60 per cent of the value of its vehicle components in-house, including electronic architecture, batteries, electric motors, digital cockpits and driver-assistance technology, which the company says allows it to better integrate hardware and software and speed up development. This is a manufacturer-supplied figure reported by MarkLines. ⁵

No Australian availability, pricing or launch details for the certified connected services or the affected Leapmotor models are stated in the sources covering this announcement. The Europrivacy certification concerns the joint venture's European operations, and any application to other markets would require separate evidence. ¹²