Jeep Maker Stellantis Bets on a Chinese EV Startup, but Is It the Right One?

Buying into a Chinese automaker sounds like a great answer to the challenge of making cheaper electric vehicles. If only it were easier to pick winners.

Chrysler owner Stellantis said Thursday that it was spending the equivalent of about $1.6 billion to buy a roughly 20% stake in Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology. It will get two board seats and become Leapmotor’s exclusive export partner via a Europe-based joint venture in which Stellantis will own 51%.