Chinese EV brand Leapmotor has arrived in the UK, claiming its C10 family SUV and T03 city car are the best-value propositions in their respective segments.
Priced at £15,995, the T03 is the UK’s second-cheapest electric car, just £1000 above the rival Dacia Spring. Both cars are four-seaters similar in size to the Kia Picanto but higher-riding, due to their underbody batteries.
The T03 offers more standard kit, however. Whereas the entry-level Spring goes without an infotainment display, the T03 gets a 10.1in touchscreen. This is responsible for almost all secondary functions, such as the climate and media controls.
The T03’s battery is larger, too, at 37.3kWh compared with the equivalent Spring’s 26.8kWh. That allows it to eke out an extra 26 miles of range per charge, according to the WLTP test cycle, rating it at 165 miles in total.
It also has the edge over the Spring in outright performance, with its 94bhp motor dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in 12.7sec. The 44bhp Spring takes 19.7sec, while the 64bhp version (priced in line with the T03, at £15,995) takes 13.7sec.
It can be charged at a rate of 48kW on a DC power supply – going from 30-80% in 36 minutes – or at 6.6kW on AC.
The T03 is also fitted with a range of driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance and blindspot detection.
Like the Spring, its software can be updated over the air, meaning it’s possible for Leapmotor to add extra features and functionality to existing cars as time goes on.
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I think electric propulsion is ideal for small commuter cars, it’s a pity there aren’t more of them.
Good to see more choice at the bottom end of the market, instead of just more and more large SUVs
Soon the Cities will be full of cars this size in th3 same grid lock as before,ok, they maybe cleaner better for the environment etc, but, there's going to be so much choice of what or which to buy,should western car makers be worried?, seems there are infinite new Chinese car brands appearing every week.
As said in the article, this will be a joint ventre with Stelantis so it should help some of the western car companies contained within. It might worry the others mind, especially the Renault part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.