Stellantis and Dongfeng have signed a letter of intent, paving the way for the production of Voyah vehicles at the Rennes plant in France. The partnership will establish a joint venture, with Stellantis holding a 51% stake.
Voyah is Dongfeng's luxury sub-brand in China, with minimal recognition in the European market. Recent data indicates that Dongfeng sold just over 3,000 vehicles in Europe in 2025. However, this is set to change as Dongfeng aims for aggressive international expansion, responding to fierce competition that has impacted sales and profitability in China.
Earlier this month, Stellantis and Dongfeng also finalized an agreement for Dongfeng to produce new Peugeot and Jeep models for the Chinese market.
This move is part of a larger strategy among European automakers to optimize their underutilized factories. For example, Stellantis is collaborating with Leapmotor in Spain, where it will also hold a 51% share. Volkswagen is reportedly considering similar partnerships with various Chinese automotive firms.
The Rennes factory exemplifies the issue of underused manufacturing capacity. Founded in 1960, the plant reached its peak output of 400,000 cars annually in the early 2000s but now solely produces the Citroen C5 Aircross on a single production line.
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