Leapmotor International introduces the UK’s best value electric cars

European debut of the joint-venture Leapmotor International with the launch of the Leapmotor C10 and T03.

A 51:49 operating agreement led by Stellantis, this strategic partnership aims at accelerating and increasing Leapmotor’s hi-tech product sales at affordable prices around the world outside of Greater China by taking advantage of Stellantis’ global resources and commercial know-how.

Leapmotor is one of the leading Chinese companies in the technology field and boasts the highest growth in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector, making use of an exclusive vertical-integration model and a wide range of in-house capabilities.

Stellantis draws on nearly 130 years of history, the know-how of 14 brands, employees from 170 countries, commercial operations in more than 130 markets, production sites in over 30 countries, and a comprehensive global sales and post-sales network.

Leapmotor International’s range complements the current technology and portfolio of Stellantis’ 14 iconic brands and provides customers with more economically accessible mobility solutions.

The T03 is the smart choice for the city: a compact electric segment-A vehicle with 165 miles of range WLTP combined and the interior space of a segment-B vehicle. Priced at just £15,995, it is the UK’s best value electric car on sale

Designed for today’s family, the C10 is an electric D-SUV with premium features, the best driving experience in the category with 261 miles of range WLTP combined and top-level safety standards priced at just £36,500.

350 sales points by the end of 2024 with 50 in the UK.

One new vehicle will be introduced each year over the next three years.

The first European Media Drive is currently taking place in Milan for the C10 and T03 models of the Leapmotor brand, a leading Chinese company in the technology field which boasts the highest growth in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sector. The event, held in the Italian design and innovation capital and at the enchanting Lake Maggiore, marks the official debut of Leapmotor International in Europe.

This is the first global partnership in the electric-vehicle sector between a major automaker and a Chinese OEM specialised in NEV. Specifically, the 51:49 joint venture led by Stellantis is aimed at further increasing Leapmotor sales in China, one of the largest car markets in the world, while taking advantage of Stellantis’ consolidated commercial presence on international markets to increase Leapmotor sales in other regions.

Thanks to an exclusive vertical-integration model and a wide range of in-house capabilities at the research, development, and production level, Leapmotor brings the best EV products in the segment to the market, while remaining economically competitive and making use of the most innovative technologies available. Its business model is extremely agile, flexible, and scalable, allowing it to quickly respond to a constantly changing market. Likewise, Stellantis draws on nearly 130 years of history in the sector, the know-how of 14 international brands, and a global presence with employees from over 170 countries, commercial operations in more than 130 markets, production sites in over 30 countries, and a comprehensive sales and post-sales network which offers the highest standards of quality and reliability.

Lastly, the creation of the joint-venture between Leapmotor and Stellantis is a huge step forward in addressing the urgent problem of global warming through state-of-the-art BEV models which are capable of competing with Chinese brands in key markets around the world. Not to mention that Stellantis plans on taking advantage of Leapmotor’s EV ecosystem in China, which is highly innovative and efficient in terms of costs, to contribute to reaching the key electrification targets set out in the Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, with an eye to exploring further collaborations with its partner.

The origins of Leapmotor International

In October 2023, the two companies announced the investment of around 1.5 billion euros on Stellantis’ behalf into Leapmotor for the acquisition of around 21% of the shares of the Chinese company. The agreement also included the creation of Leapmotor International, the 51:49 joint-venture led by Stellantis, with exclusive rights for exports and sales, as well the manufacturer of Leapmotor products outside of “Greater China”. The shared goal at the foundations of the strategic partnership is an acceleration and increase in sales of Leapmotor’s hi-tech products at affordable prices around the world, making use of Stellantis’ global resources and commercial know-how. Moreover, Leapmotor International’s range of electric vehicles complements the current technology and portfolio of Stellantis’ 14 iconic brands and guarantees customers more economically accessible mobility solutions. With the ability to rely on Stellantis’ distribution channels, Leapmotor International will increase the number of sales points of Leapmotor vehicles to 350 by the end of 2024. Furthermore, one new model launch per year is planned over the next three years.

The first European markets by the end of the year are Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.; of which the UK will have 50 sales points, all of which can rely on Stellantis’ extensive Retailer network. From Q4, Leapmotor’s commercial operations will also be expanded to the Middle East & Africa (Turkey, Israel, and overseas French territories), Asia Pacific (Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Malaysia), as well as South America (Brazil and Chile).

The three pillars of Leapmotor International’s expansion strategy

Leapmotor International is strongly focused on its customers, to whom it always offers the greatest mobility solutions on the market in terms of competitive pricing, state-of-the-art technology, and high-quality post-sales assistance. These are the three pillars of the new joint-venture’s expansion strategy. Firstly, Leapmotor’s vehicles are within everyone’s reach, as they combine product excellence with economically sustainable solutions and a high level of specification. Thanks to the solid resources and experience of the Stellantis Group, Leapmotor offers a simple, affordable, and customer-centric experience, making the latest in electric mobility a real option for a greater number of people. The second pillar involves making customers’ lives simpler using intelligent technologies derived from Leapmotor’s incredible in-house capabilities which guarantee a high level of innovation and an extraordinary driving experience, leading to a more connected and sustainable future for everyone. Lastly, by taking advantage of the strength of Stellantis’ distribution network, Leapmotor International provides consumers with the greatest peace of mind in “taking the leap” to electric mobility by offering 360° of support during the entire customer experience – from the selection of the vehicle to financing solutions and post-sales assistance services.

The C10 and T03 models at a glance

The C10 and T03 models sold by Leapmotor International are equipped with state-of-the-art electric technologies and offer high levels of performance, efficiency, safety, and range. In particular, the C10 SUV is the first Leapmotor product created for the global market and in line with international safety and design standards.

The C10 is the perfect choice for customers who want to “take the leap” to battery electric vehicles (BEV) and need a true family vehicle. Moreover, Stellantis’ distribution network guarantees peace of mind regarding services and assistance, offering family mobility at an affordable price. Leapmotor’s new D-SUV offers everything that a family could want in a latest-generation electric vehicle thanks to its best-in-class safety, an intelligent user experience, and premium levels of comfort and specification. Specifically, the C10 is based on the LEAP 3.0 architecture developed by Leapmotor, making use of best-in-class intelligent electric technology, including a centrally integrated electronic configuration, the Cell-to-Chassis (CTC) system, and the smart cockpit, Leapmotor’s true showpiece.

The all-electric C10 SUV boasts D-segment-like dimensions and significant features, the best driving experience in the category, 261 miles of WLTP range, and a top-level safety standards. After being awarded the “International CMF Design Award 2023” for its technological design and stunning look, it recently won the “Gold Award 2024” at the French Design Award (FDA) and the “Gold Award 2024” at the US MUSE Design Award. The T03, the second star of the European Media Drive, is also sure to turn heads. The intelligent choice for the city, the T03 is a compact, five-door segment-A vehicle with segment-B-like dimensions. T03 is fun to drive and has a WLTP range of 165 miles. Furthermore, it has been placed first in the compact-battery, electric-vehicle segment in the Initial Quality Study by JD Power 2023. In short, the T03 is the smart choice for the city as it combines smaller size, which makes it agile in traffic, with cutting-edge electric propulsion at a truly competitive price.

Leapmotor’s vision, values and strengths

Leapmotor is an innovative and dynamic technology company which works in the electric vehicle (EV) sector. Founded in 2015 by Jiangming Zhu, a visionary businessman with almost thirty years of experience in the Hi-Tech and Automotive sectors, Leapmotor immediately adopted a one-of-a-kind approach to electrical mobility. Thanks to its in-house development and the use of state-of-the-art technologies, it has shown extraordinary agility and flexibility in responding to the needs of the market, leading to the rapid implementation of its products, which move from the initial concept to production in the factory place in around 18-24 months. Moreover, Leapmotor has been able to achieve several important milestones over recent years: the construction of the Jinhua factory in 2017, the launch of the S01 in 2019, T03 in 2020, C11 in 2021 and C01 in 2022. And finally, this year, represents the global launch of the C10 model which won the prestigious Gold Award at the French Design Awards.

Leapmotor’s constant and rapid growth can also be seen in its sales volumes, which went from a little more than 1,000 units in 2019 to more than 144,000 in 2023. By focusing on the upper-middle range, the largest and fastest growing segment in China, the company has become one of the top three up-and-coming brands in the Chinese electric-vehicle sector. Altogether, from 2019 to today, Leapmotor has sold over 400,000 electric vehicles in China, the largest and most competitive electric-car market in the world.

In the next three years, Leapmotor’s product plan will cover the entire range of segments A to E thanks to its exclusive technical architecture and highly scalable platforms with BEV engines and Range Extenders for EVs. It also should be noted that Leapmotor was the first electric-vehicle company in the world to implement Cell-to-Chassis technology on a large scale, and its new Leap 3.0 centralised electronic and electrical architecture “Four-Leaf Clover” allows for the perfect coordination and greatest efficiency between all the main components of intelligent electric vehicles. Leapmotor’s showpiece is its “full-stack in-house development” (more than 60 % of its total amount) and refers to building essential vehicle systems such as powertrain, intelligent driving, and cockpit systems from the ground up, enabling complete in-house development of both software and hardware. This approach maximizes efficiency in the R&D and manufacturing processes while also maximizing the value customers get throughout the vehicle’s lifecycle. The key advantages of full-stack in-house development are controllable R&D costs, superior vehicle performance end stronger resilience to the risks of supply chain disruptions and market volatility.

Globally, Leapmotor stands out as the only Chinese startup with full-stack in-house development capabilities and the highest degree of vertical integration in the intelligent electric vehicle market. By combining the strengths of the IT and automotive industries, Leapmotor has established a highly efficient and practical R&D logic, making its technology and in-house development closely intertwined. This integrated approach enables the company to innovate rapidly and deliver high-performance products.

Stellantis roadmap to zero carbon emissions

Founded at the start of 2021, but with more than a century’s worth of tradition, Stellantis can rely on 14 iconic automobile brands and on two businesses in the field of mobility solutions. It offers freedom of movement to everyone through advantageous, versatile, and sustainable mobility solutions, taking advantage of its industrial activity in more than 30 countries, with customers in over 130 markets.

Stellantis will invest more than 50 billion euros over the next 10 years in the field of electrification and will do everything it can to reach the targets set out in its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan, including the achievement of a 100% sales mix of BEV vehicles in Europe by 2030 and 50% of BEV passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the United States. To reach these sales goals, the company is ensuring around 400 GWh of battery capacity with the support of six battery factories in North America and Europe.

Stellantis aims to become a zero carbon-emissions company across all sectors by 2038, with a percentage offsetting for an amount of the remaining emissions. Alongside this strategic move, Stellantis remains committed to an “asset-light” business model for its foreign brands in China.

25 September 2024

About Leapmotor International

Leapmotor International B.V. is a Stellantis-led joint venture with a 51/49 partnership between Stellantis N.V. and Leapmotor. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the company is focused on redefining the electric vehicle (EV) landscape by leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovation. Leapmotor International is committed to delivering tech-centric, affordable electric mobility solutions to global customers. The company began its operations in Europe in September 2024, with 250 points of sale by year-end, and plans to expand into India, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and South America starting in the fourth quarter. Leapmotor International’s product lineup will initially include the T03, an urban-focused A-segment EV, and the C10, a fully equipped, family-oriented D-segment vehicle, with additional models planned over the next three years.

For more information, contact:

Jeremy TOWNSEND

[email protected]

+44 7827 896480

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