Budget-priced Leapmotor electric cars from China coming to Australia

Stellantis – the parent company of Fiat-Chrysler and Peugeot-Citroen – has announced plans to sell electric cars from relatively fresh Chinese brand Leapmotor globally to challenge the likes of BYD and GWM.

Included in the global expansion of Leapmotor – founded in 2015 – are plans to launch two electric cars, a pint-sized city car and a Tesla Model Y-sized SUV, in Australia as soon as late 2024.

Prices and specifications for Australia are yet to be confirmed, but in its native market the most affordable version of the Leapmotor city hatch – the T03 – is less than half the price of the GWM Ora, which is Australia's cheapest new electric car at $35,990 drive-away.

This doesn't mean the Leapmotor hatch will be an $18,000 car in Australia, as it will need to gain crash-avoidance safety technology that is mandatory locally – given the domestic version lacks basic safety features such as side airbags.

Stellantis purchased 21 per cent of Leapmotor last year – at the cost of about €1.5 billion ($AU2.5 billion) – and owns 51 per cent of a new subsidiary, Leapmotor International, tasked with exporting Leapmotor cars.

Australia is one piece of a near-global roll-out for Leapmotor, due to be launched by Stellantis in key European countries – France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Greece and Romania – in September 2024.

From "late 2024" it is due to expand to the Middle East, Africa (classified by Stellantis as 'Turkey, Israel and French Overseas'), India, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia, Brazil and Chile – ahead of the UK in March 2025.

It is a stunning about-face for global car giant Stellantis, which has been one of the most vocal critics of the growth of the Chinese car industry.

Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares has called for tariffs on Chinese cars sold in Europe to allow European manufacturers to compete on price with Chinese brands, or else risk a "terrible fight" that would see familiar European brands move production to countries with cheaper labour costs.

The BYD Dolphin is priced from €34,990 in Germany – while the most affordable Peugeot e-308 electric hatchback is €44,765, and a base-model Volkswagen ID.3 is €39,995.

Two Leapmotor vehicles have been confirmed for global sale as part of the initial launch wave, the T03 hatch and C10 SUV.

They are due to be followed by another SUV in 2025, two hatchbacks in 2026, and a third SUV in 2027, according to a new-model roadmap shown at a media event overnight.

The Leapmotor T03 is a similar size to a Kia Picanto – one of Australia's smallest and cheapest new cars – with five doors and space for four people.

The T03 is sold in its native market with a choice of 21.6kWh, 31.9kWh or 41.3kWh batteries, providing claimed driving ranges of 200km, 310km and 403km respectively based on Chinese CLTC lab testing.

The model destined for Europe claims 265km of driving range, based on more stringent WLTP testing.

In its home market, power from the single front-mounted electric motor ranges from 40kW to 80kW, depending on the model, while all three claim to be capable of a 30 to 80 per cent fast charge in 36 minutes.

Domestic prices start from just 49,990 yuan ($AU10,400) – about half the price of the cheapest GWM Ora there – but it is likely to be much more expensive in export markets once necessary safety features are added.

Meanwhile, the Leapmotor C10 is a Tesla Model Y-sized SUV with five seats, and claimed CLTC driving ranges of 410km or 530km from 52.9kWh or 69.9kWh battery packs in its home market.

The version destined for Europe is planned to offer a 420km WLTP claimed driving range, Stellantis said.

All domestic C10 models use a 170kW/320Nm electric motor driving the rear wheels, and claim to be capable of 0-100km/h acceleration in 7.3 seconds, or a 30 to 80 per cent fast charge in approximately 30 minutes.

Prices currently range from 128,800 yuan ($AU26,900) to 168,800 yuan ($AU35,000). A plug-in hybrid 'range extender' version is also available in Leapmotor's home market, but it has not been marked for export.

For context, the most affordable Tesla Model Y in China – a similar version of which is sold in Australia for $60,900 plus on-road costs – has 554km of CLTC claimed range, claims 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds, and costs 249,900 yuan ($AU52,200).

Reports in Europe suggest the T03 may be built at the Tychy, Poland plant that currently produces the petrol Fiat 500 – which is about to be axed – while the C10 would be imported from Leapmotor’s Hangzhou factory, near Shanghai.

Asked if the T03 will be built in Poland, Mr Tavares told a media briefing including the UK's Autocar: "We do not assign vehicles to plants where there is no capacity available ... The case that you mentioned is one possibility.

"Of course, it is a plant that is meeting all the quality criteria and the cost-competitiveness criteria. Now, of course, if we do that allocation, it's because there is available capacity."

"The creation of Leapmotor International is a great step forward in helping address the urgent global warming issue with state-of-the-art BEV [battery-electric] models that will compete with existing Chinese brands in key markets around the world," Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said in a media statement.

"Leveraging our existing global presence, we will soon be able to offer our customers price competitive and tech-centric electric vehicles that will exceed their expectations.

"Under [new Leapmotor International CEO] Tianshu Xin’s leadership, they have built a compelling worldwide commercial and industrial strategy to quickly ramp-up the sales distribution channels to support Leapmotor’s robust growth and create value for both partners."

Leapmotor is one of a number of Chinese car brands to announce a move into Australia in recent days, following Xpeng, GAC, Aion, and an SUV from Skywell – plus Zeekr, confirmed earlier this year.