Electric cars are still too expensive. But the hole narrows and cars made in China threatened. One of those Chinese brands is Leapmotor, which arrived in the EU in October 2024. Now, it was also introduced in the United Kingdom, promising to establish a new point for affordability and quality. I took the first two leapmotor models for a road test.
Leapmotor is not the same as other brands of Chinese cars such as Xpeng and Byd, because 51% of the foreign wing belongs to Stellantis (the European conglomerate only has 21% of the local Chinese company). While one of the cars that has just been introduced in the United Kingdom will be sent from China (the C10), the cheapest, the T03 is made in Tychy, Poland. Therefore, in theory, it deserves to avoid costs in Europe, no matter where taxes are directed in those turbulent economic times.
Leapmotor will sit along the other 8 Stellantis brands in its exhibition rooms (for a total of 60 at the end of the first part of 2025) and will obtain advantages of the vast network of corporate maintenance centers. Stellantis states that it has an availability of 95% portions in Europe, where other Chinese car brands have temporarily arranged their cars disorders when they are wrong. The fact of these claims will remain to notice until cars reach British roads in March. But being protected from imminent rates wars surely provides Leapmotor for a safe built -in stability.
Until now, the two cars introduced in the United Kingdom are at other ends of the market. One is a Supermini Supermini back gate called T03. The other is a SUV of segment D (which admits that Leapmotor is at the same point at the same point as a smaller C segment vehicle) called C10. The two have premium characteristics and the option to dispute their respective sections of the electric vehicle market, however, the T03 is the maximum. There are few electric cars that are obtained for less than £ 20,000 ($ 25,000), and the maximum are only runobouts of the city of short ranges. Now there is a festival in this section that is worth it.
The T03 is the cheapest EV for sale in the United Kingdom. It is still the Spring Dacia, which begins at £ 14,995 ($ 19,000). However, of the 3 editions of the spring you can buy, the T03 is at the average level, with a specification higher than theirs. The Dacia Spring Electric 65 combines a 65 HP engine and a 26. 8 kWh battery, which provides 140 miles of WLTP range. Only excessive edition has an information and entertainment screen, what prices prices £ 16,995 ($ 21,500).
On the other hand, the only specification that must be taken for the LEAPMOTOR T03 has a 95 HP engine of 46% more resistant and a 39% battery of 37. 3 kWh. This means that it gives a 165 mile WLTP range. The T03 is also delivered with alloy wheels, an information and entertainment screen of 10. 1 inches, a sunroof and automatic air conditioning. The fundamental value is £ 15,995 ($ 20,000), which attacked him directly opposite to Dacia Spring Expression Electric 65, which does not have all those subtleties. The possible characteristics of the non -white paint by any of the cars charge £ 650 ($ 800), Spring has more characteristics here (five color updates to only blue and effective for T03).
I cannot blame Dacia’s spring for price and coexistence. I took one to Germany last year and discovered that it is an impressive vehicle for money. But obviously it is a car with a low budget, with door cars that bend when it presses them. The Leapmotor T03 is not precisely high -end, it feels above this in terms of construction quality. The appearance are a matter of flavor for both, however, the T03 also has a bit of Fiat 500 on this subject.
T03 is not a giant car. There is a lot of domain in the front for adults even quite giant, however, the back is narrower. A great adult will feel a bit claustrophobic sitting to another large adult in the front, although the sunroof will facilitate a bit. Spring Dacia is not greater in this regard. However, a domain where the T03 falls the spring is in rear load capacity, with 210 liters compared to the 308 liters of spring. This figure is also low in its class. The capacity only covers 508 liters with the rear seats, but the spring gives 1. 004 liters.
Spring rolls perfectly well for a city car, but the T03 is cut above this with its greater power. It reached 62 mph in 12. 7 seconds, which is decidedly pedestrian for an EV. However, Dacia’s car is even slower, it takes 13. 7 seconds even with the 65 hp version. The T03 feels good on roads A and roads, especially if you put it in game mode.
During my handling test, in a very bloodless climate, I was successful 3. 8 miles consisting of kWh, which would be equivalent to a genuine bifurcation of 141 miles. It will not be wonderful for long distance trips, they will be almost possible. The CC load is only 48 kW, therefore, it takes 36 minutes to move from 30% to 80%, while the house load in a 7 kW unit takes a little more than six hours from zero. If you have tried to drive much, you will probably have to avoid every hour and one part for at least 30 minutes to complete.
Despite its low price, the T03 is higher inside.
Although the T03 still has a Europ side, there is an intelligent possibility that it is intelligent when it arrives because the protection generation point is decent. The ten purposes of Adas come with the detection of dead angles, the lane began with caution and even adaptive cruise control. There is also a decent rear parking chamber.
It is wonderful that an infotainment screen and 10 inches be included, it is not small. However, it is low on the board, so your hand in the guide wheel darkens part. There is a decent satnav, however, Apple Carplay and Android Auto are not compatible. Air conditioning commands are also used exclusively through the touch screen, and the interface is delicate, which makes it difficult to modify the conduction of the parameters.
It brings us back to the price. You can hire the T03 for £ 199 consistently with a month with a deposit of £ 199, so it is an incredibly available EV for almost all income points. The Spring Dacia has already placed the electric beech between reasonable internal internal combustion opportunities such as Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10 and Toyota Aygo. But the LEAPMOTOR T03 is in the same space, with more functionalities, greater functionality and a greater range. Despite the few badges, it takes electric cars to a new point of customer accessibility.
The other Leapmotor car has been introduced in the United Kingdom so far, the C10 is less revolutionary. The price is along a congested market for SUV and medium size crosses. However, Leapmotor Back provided an upper point of apparatus for money, with a single end point that costs £ 36,500 ($ 46,000) and others £ 700 ($ 900) for paint updates. It is a little more dear than the Chinese competitor the omoda E5, but undermines the electrical alternatives of Kia Niro, Byd Atto 3 and Volkswagen.
There is a lot of front and rear passengers, helped through a panoramic sunroof. The rear load area is not at the class, only acceptable, with 435 liters and 1,410 liters with the rear seats. There are silk than technical techniques, such as Volkswagen. 3.
The transmission specification considers what awaits at this price. The engine gives 218 HP and the battery has a capacity of 69. 9 kWh, which gives a 263 mile WLTP beach. The C10 runs at 62 mph in 7. 5 seconds, which is also linked to a car in this class. In the game mode, it has a lot of groan to exceed and the quality of driving is decent. I was successful 3. 4 miles consistent with KWH my handling test, equivalent to 237 miles of genuine reach. However, the CC rate reaches only 84 kW. LEAPMOTOR cites 30 minutes during 30% to 80%, but more than 10% to 80% can approach forty -five minutes, which will begin to grate longer trips.
The C10 Leapmotor enters a much more competitive electric vehicle market.
There are many premium keys, such as hidden doors handles, 20 -inch alloy wheels and a popular heat pump. Next to this panoramic solar roof, front seats are heated and ventilated, which also adjust electrically. There is a glass of intimacy and a rear gate that can be open with a kick gesture. The 14. 6 -inch touch screen has a more balanced interface than the T03 and is pleasantly receptive, once again, there is no for Apple Carplay or Android Auto, which will be a sadness for many.
Unlike T03, the C10 received its Euro NCAP qualification, and received five reassuring stars. The adaptive cruise includes a workforce, and there is an rear cross -sectional alert (at hand if it has poor visibility). During my road test, some of the protection characteristics were too intrusive and had to be disabled, an increasingly unusual challenge, but once it was done, the delight was fluid.
The C10 Leapmotor does not make a statement as bold as the T03. It is a promising option, but there is a lot of competition and MG is about to launch an incredibly popular ZS EV update with intelligent value. Therefore, it faces forged alternatives, despite a complete and impressive quality specification for money.
Leapmotor made ambitious access in the British market. The T03 takes ultra-bare electric cars in a quality bar, and the C10 also seems an intelligent value. A third car, the B10, is expected to reach the United Kingdom until the end of 2025. The launch of the United Kingdom was already exposed. Then, Leapmotor plans to launch two other cars in 2026, and others in 2027, taking diversity to six.
The B10 will be the next EV of Leapmotor to attack the United Kingdom at the end of 2025.
What happens with emission mandate 0, the costs used for electric cars and import costs, transition to electric cars continues anyway. The specific T03 leapmotor reduces any differentiation of costs between electric cars and internal combustion equivalents, while the C10 is more stealing at the festival in the popular Middle Rank SUV market. These are symptoms that the adoption of electric cars will continue to grow in recent years in 2025 and beyond.