China’s Leapmotor EV brand close to Australian launch

Chinese electric vehicle brand Leapmotor is expected to launch in Australia with the backing of global car giant Stellantis as soon as late 2024.

carsales understands the first model expected here is the Leapmotor C10 mid-size SUV, but a regular rollout of additional models at a rate of up to two EVs per year is planned.

The success of BYD’s affordable EVs in Australia has helped motivate Stellantis – the parent company of brands such as Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot and Citroen – and Leapmotor to study this market. The goal is understood to be lower pricing and higher sales than its fellow Chinese brands.

In China, the C10 EV has just been priced from 128,800-168,800 yuan ($27,000-$35,400), while the plug-in version starts slightly higher and finishes slightly lower.

The C10 is powered by a single rear-mounted 170kW/320Nm e-motor fed by a choice of 52.9kWh and 69.9kWh LFP battery packs. It claims a 410/530km range respectively on China’s lenient CLTC test cycle.

Leapmotor will not only join BYD, but MG, GWM, Chery and LDV as ambitious Chinese brands in Australia.

Zeekr, Lynk & Co, Nio, Changan, Chery sub-brand Jaecoo and Geely are all expected to join them in coming years.

The investigation of the Australian market by Leapmotor has been confirmed by a company spokesman.

“Yes indeed we are planning for overseas sales together with Stellantis,” he told carsales via email.

“As to exact timing and details of Australia launch, we are still in the stage of planning and we would have more details to share in due course, around end of second quarter.”

Sources familiar with the plan have told carsales a late-2024 launch is the target for Leapmotor’s arrival in Australia.

The possibility of Leapmotor coming to Australia first emerged when Stellantis bought a 1.5 billion Euro ($A2.47b) 20 per cent share in October 2023.

Integral to the buy-in was the establishment of the Leapmotor International joint-venture owned 51/49 per cent by Stellantis “designed to accelerate and expand global sales of Leapmotor’s high-tech, cost-efficient products by leveraging Stellantis’ extensive assets and commercial know-how around the globe”.

The deal includes not only selling but manufacturing Leapmotor models outside China. The first export target is Europe, with deliveries starting in the second half of 2024.

The joint-venture is aiming for 500,000 sales by 2030. Leapmotor sold 144,155 vehicles in China in 2023.

In Australia it is understood Leapmotor will be mostly housed in Jeep and RAM dealerships. Stellantis distributes the Jeep 4x4 brand and owns the RAM truck brand, which it licenses to Ateco Automotive for distribution.

Other Stellantis brands distributed in Australia directly or via third parties include Alfa Romeo, Fiat and its Abarth performance spin-off, Citroen, Maserati and Peugeot.

Chrysler was recently withdrawn from Australian sale by Stellantis and Leapmotor would step in to replace the American brand in many showrooms.

While carsales understands there is strong interest from Stellantis Australia in gaining the Leapmotor brand and work is underway at its Melbourne HQ to achieve that, the only local official confirmation was that Leapmotor was “under consideration”.

Adding Leapmotor to its local line-up would potentially add significant sales volume for Stellantis Australia, aid in combating the incoming federal New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) and also downplay suggestions within the industry that Ateco Automotive may soon assume responsibility for all of its brands in Australia.

“Why would they be bringing in Leapmotor if they intended to shut up shop and hand the business over,” one auto industry expert told carsales.

Globally, the Leapmotor investment will help Stellantis achieve the electrification goals within its 50 billion Euro ($A82 billion) Dare Forward 2023 business plan that includes a 100 per cent passenger car EV sales mix in Europe and 50 per cent passenger car and light-duty truck EV sales mix in the United States.

Established in 2015, Leapmotor is a publicly listed company based in Hangzhou that launched its first model, the S01 electric two-door coupe, in 2019. It added the T03 city car in 2020 and the C11 crossover later the same year.

The C01 sedan was launched in 2022 and the C10 at the Munich show in 2023, underlining its export goals.

The plug-in hybrid EREV (extended range electric vehicle) C10 adds a 1.5-litre engine and swaps to a 28.4kWh LFP battery pack and claims a 210km pure-electric range.

The five-seat SUV measures up at 4739mm long, 1900mm wide and 1680mm high, with a 2825mm wheelbase. It’s slightly shorter, narrower and taller than a Tesla Model Y and has a 65mm shorter wheelbase.

Leapmotor has stated it intends over the next three years to cover the full range of market segments (A-E), based on one technical architecture with three scalable platforms including both BEV and Range Extender EV powertrains.

Spy shots have already captured the larger seven-seat C16 SUV, which is Leapmotor’s second global model.

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