Leapmotor T03

leapmotor c10 — Leapmotor T03 charging port. Photo: OceanProd (Depositphotos.com)

Stellantis has bought 20% in Leapmotor and entered into cooperation on the distribution of cars in Europe and probably also the production of Leapmotor T03 in Poland.

With 5 years in operation, Leapmotor is one of several start-up car manufacturers from China. Their best-selling model is the T03 – a car in the A-segment with a length of 3,6 metres. It is the first of two models to be rolled out in the fall, and it is the which can be put into production in Stellantis' production facility in Tychy, Poland, in the summer.

A stuffed animal on 4 wheels

We probably won't see Leapmotor in Norway anytime soon, as Norway is not on the list of countries Stellantis wants to cover, but it cannot be ruled out that an independent Norwegian dealer chain casts its eyes on the car brand. Honestly, I don't think the little T03 will appeal to very many customers here. First and foremost because cars in the A segment are not as popular as on the continent. In addition, one can probably also add that T03 is a little too much aimed at Chinese tastes. In "pig pink" colour, it is reminiscent of a stuffed animal on 4 wheels - and that narrows down the target group quite a bit.

Leapmotor C10

More interesting for Norway is the Leapmotor C10. It was launched last year and is already on sale in China. This will be one of the models Stellantis will distribute in Europe from September this year. When Leapmotor launched the C10, they announced that it would be equipped with the company's brand new EV platform LEAP3.0 with CTC Cell-to-Chassis technology. In short, the battery cells are then integrated into the car's chassis in a way that helps to stiffen the undercarriage and bodywork, while freeing up interior space. In the marketing, emphasis is placed on flexible seating arrangements, including the possibility of making a bed.

Collaboration on technology?

Leapmotor has previously announced that they don't just want to be car manufacturer, but also sell technology to other car manufacturers. It has been known for several months that Stellantis has been in negotiations with Leapmotor. We therefore think that Stellantis may have plans to implement technology from Leapmotor in its own models. These speculations are hardly less relevant today.

Under 20 € 000

In European cities with high car density, cars in the A segment are very popular. Then it's a shame that there are so few good electric small cars. Today's Leapmotor T03 has a range of 280 km WLTP combined - while the cars to be produced in Poland will get 265 km. This opens the question of whether there will be a revised - or new edition of the model - or whether the range has just been remeasured. Stellantis has only one electric car in this segment – the Fiat 500e. It is A-class premium liquors and thus significantly higher priced than the Leapmotor T03. The two models are unlikely to conflict with each other. With a price below €20.000, the biggest competitor will be Dacia spring - a car that received only 1 star in Euro NCAP's crash tests in 2021. The cars from Leapmotor have not yet been tested by Euro NCAP.

To Norway in 2026?

In France, Leapmotor is currently sold through the French company SN Diffusion who also sell Seres. During September, Stellantis will sell Leapmotor T03 and C10 through 200 dealers in 9 countries (not Norway) and during 2026 the dealer network will be increased to 500. Maybe then they will come to Norway too? It remains to be seen.

Facts Leapmotor C10

Length, width, height: 474 x 190 x 168 cm
Net weight: 1940 kg (of which 550 kg for batteries)
Batteries: LFP 69,6 kWh
Battery manufacturer: CALB
Engine: Single engine 231 hp
Operation: RWD
Range: 530 km (likely CLTC - not WLTP)
Source: Car News China

See

China's Leapmotor to build EVs at Stellantis' Polish plant, sources say

When Leapmotor unveiled its latest model, the C10, at the IAA Mobility fair in Munich, it wasn't the car that was most eye-catching, but the technology under the shell. It can open the way for a new generation of electric cars.

Can new technology pave the way for small cars?

An electric SUV of 4,8 meters from a relatively unknown car brand does not attract attention in the news. Few will be able to identify a Leapmotor C10 on the street. I think the market for large SUVs must soon be saturated. I wish the car manufacturers could instead put the spotlight on beautiful and flattering electric cars.

Unfortunately, high-built cars with solid suspension, large wheels and brakes are necessary to transport today's "long range" batteries. But we should not reject the large box-shaped SUV that was unveiled at Leapmotor's stand in Munich this autumn. It can actually help the car manufacturers to give us a larger selection of stylish and far smaller box-shaped electric cars, and it can also open up new models with a long range in the important A and B segment.

About Leapmotor

Leapmotor is one of several start-up car manufacturers from China. They are a fairly small manufacturer with approximately 210 cars produced from 000 to the second half of 2019. Currently, the vast majority of cars go to the domestic market, but Leapmotor is in the process of establishing itself in Europe. In February this year, they started in France, and until next year the UK will be in charge. Today, the model range consists of only the small model T2023. It is an electric car in the A segment in the same size as France's second best-selling electric car, the Dacia Spring. The Chinese domestic market also sells an SUV model, called the C03, and the C11, which is a sedan.

Leapmotor dealer Toulouse with sales of DFSK/Seres in the room next door. Source: Google maps (June 2023)

3.0

This is the latest version of Leapmotor's battery architecture. They describe it in 4 levels - called "Four Clover". At the bottom is the computer architecture, then battery and electric motor, then a fully assembled "lower body", and finally the entire car. There are two things in particular in this architecture that I believe could influence the development of electric cars worldwide, namely Central E/E Control Architecture og Cell-to-Chassis batteries.

Central E/E Control Architecture

In any modern car there are small, computerized control boxes connected to each other in a wired computer network. The electronic boxes serve electrical functions such as switches and the like (E/E - Electro/Electric or data-weak current/high current). By connecting the data boxes to larger data boxes and letting these in turn communicate with a central computer, the number of cables and boxes can be reduced - which can provide more space, lower weight, less energy loss and better range.

"Cell-to-chassis" batteries

"Cell-to-chassis" means that all the battery cells are attached directly to the car's chassis without being encapsulated in battery boxes. Done correctly, it can stiffen the undercarriage and bodywork, provide better interior space, increase safety and provide faster charging. The solution means that only power-generating components are installed - without excess load. Tesla has described the solution as "Cell-to-body", which amounts to the same for passenger cars where the batteries are placed in load-bearing structures. One can also draw parallels to the aircraft industry where the fuel tanks are built into the wings.

Leapmotor C10 unveiled at IAA Munich 2023

Can reduce the lifespan of cars

There are objections to mounting the batteries as part of the chassis/undercarriage/bodywork. Replacing or repairing batteries can be more expensive. The solution can also cause challenges when recycling. The latter can be important, if one lowers the threshold for scrapping cars instead of repairing them. In return, "cell-to-chassis" opens up new opportunities for the production of cheaper and smaller electric cars - which offsets the fact that the average lifespan is reduced.

Also offered by other car manufacturers

The new platform, Leap 3.0, has not yet been put into production. One can ask whether the sale of the new C10 model alone can cover development costs, as a lot of software has to be developed up front. Zhu Jiangming, chairman and founder, has stated that Leapmotor will not just sell cars, but also supply technology to other car manufacturers. Volkswagen, which has a heavy presence in the Chinese car industry through the companies FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen, is said to be already in negotiations with Leapmotor to supply the Leap 3.0 for its new planned Jetta model for the Chinese market. In Europe, Volkswagen has created its own platforms, and has announced that it will use a modified version of the MEB platform for its new front-wheel drive ID.2. Perhaps the experiences with Leap 3.0 in the new Jetta can make Volkswagen choose the same platform for the ID.2 and a future ID.1?

It is no secret that Stellantis has also been in contact with Leapmotor, but it must be exclusively linked to EREV Leap 3.0-the platform that contains a range extender with a 1,2 liter internal combustion engine. Perhaps Stellantis has plans to use «e fuel» to a possible range extender?

Unlike the Volkswagen group, Stellantis has chosen to build electric cars according to the same pattern as cars with thermal engines. They have been able to deliver good electric cars in the B segment, which Volkswagen has not yet achieved - but Stellantis will probably need a more modern platform towards 2035.

Leapmotor T03

When I did "research" for the post about the low-cost cars, I started from what was available on the French market, where small cars are more popular than in Norway. The Leapmotor T03 is the third least expensive electric car in France, beaten by Dacia Spring and Renault Twingo. Leapmotor established its first dealers in France in February this year and aims to have approximately 100 dealers by the end of the year. In France, the cars cost €25, but with environmental refunds the net price can end up as low as €990. The Leapmotor T18 delivers 500hp and a range of 03 km WLTP. The model came out on the market in 109 and the platform is based on Leap 280. I'm guessing we'll see a sequel soon.