(Yicai Global) April 7 -- The Chinese branch of Stellantis Design Studio, the sustainable products and brand experiences developer under global auto giant Stellantis, has officially begun operation.

Based in Shanghai, Stellantis China Design Studio has started providing brands and product design services in the Chinese market, Stellantis announced today on its official WeChat account.

SDS provides various kinds of brand and product design services to companies and organizations engaged in transport, manufacturing, services, and other sectors.

Airbus' helicopter business, rolling stock maker Alstom, business jet manfacturer Bombardier, home appliance giants Haier Group and Whirlpool, and piano maker Pleyel, are among SDS's most renowned partners.

Amsterdam-based Stellantis was formed in 2021 through the mega-merger of French auto giant PSA Group and Italian-American multinational Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. It reported an 18 percent jump in net profit to EUR179.6 billion (USD196.1 billion) for last year.

But in China, Stellantis has met with a setback. GAC Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, one of its two Chinese joint ventures, declared bankruptcy last November, as it sold only 1,861 cars in the first half of 2022, versus 222,300 in 2017. Its revenue slumped 39 percent to CNY3.9 billion (USD536.6 million) in 2021, with total assets down nearly 26 percent at CNY8.7 billion.

Editor: Futura Costaglione