Sales of the first electric Leapmotor models will begin in September in select European countries. including Italy. Stellantis has invested heavily in the Chinese car manufacturer, around €1.5 billion, to acquire a 21% stake. Thus Leapmotor becomes the new brand of the Stellantis galaxy, or rather fifteenth mark, as noted by John Elkannpresident of the group, in an episode of the podcast “In Good Company,” hosted by Nikolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank, one of the most important Norwegian sovereign wealth funds in the world.
Stellantis had fourteen brands, now Leapmotor has fifteen – we announced this recently, and this is our all-electric car company in China.
An important part of this project is the creation of a joint venture, Leapmotor International, led by Stellantis, with exclusive export and sales rights, as well as manufacturing of Leapmotor products outside the China region. As we recently reported, production of the first model The Leapmotor T03, which will land on the Old Continent, will be launched at the Tychy plant in Poland.
Stellantis’ plan is to bring the models to market first. Leapmotor T03 and Leapmotor C10. It looks like the C10 SUV will be imported directly from China rather than being built in Europe. Production of the Leapmotor A12 model should also begin in Tychy from the first quarter of 2025, but little is known yet other than that it will be an SUV.
Returning to the first two models full specifications for the European market have not yet been reported to Stellantis. However, we already know something about the Leapmotor T03, given that it was imported to France with a starting price of around 20 thousand euros. The small electric car, designed for the city, measures 3620 mm in length, 1652 mm in width and 1605 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2400 mm.
In China it is offered in different variants, but a model with a 109 hp/80 kW engine combined with a 41.3 kWh battery with a range of approximately 260-270 km (WLTP) should arrive on the Old Continent. Considering what the Chinese models offer, inside the cabin we will find a digital instrument panel with an 8-inch screen and a 10.1-inch infotainment system. Obviously, given that it will be sold on the European market, it will have all the safety systems required by law.
The Leapmotor C10 SUV made its debut in Europe at the Munich Motor Show. This model in China is offered both in a 100% electric version and with a range extender. The C10 SUV is built on the new Leap 3.0 platform.
The range extender version features a 95 PS/70 kW 1.5-litre petrol engine that powers a 28.4 kWh LFP battery, as well as a 231 PS/ electric powertrain. 170 kW. The electric range is 210 km and 1190 km, also taking into account the use of a range extender. Obviously, we are talking about values for the CLTC cycle.
The BEV model, however, offers a 231 hp/170 kW engine powered by 52.9 kWh and 69.9 kWh LFP batteries with a CLTC range of up to 530 km.
We know that the electric model will arrive on the Old Continent (probably with a larger capacity battery), but there is no exact information on the battery with an expander.
Source: HD Motori
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.