Leapmotor is one of many Chinese automotive brands currently launching in the UK with a range of electric vehicles (EVs) – but this one is a little bit different to its rivals.
Leapmotor has grown quickly from 1,000 global sales in its first year, 2019, to close to 300,000 in 2024. This is not surprising as this company has the not insignificant clout of Stellantis behind it – the automotive giant that owns 14 major brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Maserati and others.
So not only will Leapmotor be able to make use of UK market know-how, its efforts to build a UK dealer network will be eased by having a whole load of existing Stellantis outlets willing and able to take an extra franchise – very important when rival brands, such as BYD and Omoda & Jaecoo, are also aggressively signing up dealers.
There has been a lot of talk from Stellantis about how it can help Leapmotor get off the ground in Europe, but the same works in reverse. Stellantis has been struggling with sliding sales and profitability, especially with its electric models, for the last few years. Having a budget Chinese EV brand as part of the family will be very useful to help boost overall group sales of EVs in markets like the UK, which last year introduced a mandate for minimum numbers of EV sales, and in the EU, which has launched a similar programme this year.
So who or what is Leapmotor?
Leapmotor is one of the newest car brands in the world, just a decade old. Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology was only established in China in 2015, and its first vehicles made production four years later.
The Leapmotor brand was officially launched in 2017, and the first vehicle, a mid-sized electric coupe called the Leapmotor S01, started production in 2019. The company also pushed forward in computing technology by developing an artificial intelligence chip for potential use in its cars.
Two more models followed in the next 18 months, a small city car called the T03 and a larger crossover called the C11.
The company’s big move, however, happened in 2023 when Stellantis Group acquired 20% of Leapmotor for €1.5 billion. A new Leapmotor International division was launched, with ownership split 51 to 49% in favour of Stellantis and ambitions to sell Leapmotor vehicles in global markets outside China.
When did Leapmotor launch in the UK?
Leapmotor models went on sale in the UK with two models in March 2025 as part of an expansion throughout Europe.
The brand has already established more than 40 dealerships across the country, and has plans for 80 locations by the end of 2025.
What models does Leapmotor have and what else is coming?
Leapmotor made its UK debut with two electric models, the C10 family SUV and the T03 small car. A range-extender version of the C10, with a small petrol engine that generates electricity for the electric motor, will also join the range this year.
A smaller SUV called the B10 is expected in showrooms before the end of 2025. It will also be an electric model.
The T03 is of similar size to the Fiat 500e and, in terms of price, is only beaten by the Dacia Spring, while offering more equipment. This and a lot of space has earned the T03 plaudits from reviewers, though they’ve been less impressed by the driving experience – especially the issue that affects many Chinese cars, over-intrusive driver warning systems.
The C10 is an electric SUV sized to rival the likes of the Skoda Enyaq and Nissan Ariya. While currently available with a range of around 260 miles, which puts it in front of its Nissan rival, it is about to gain an extra model going the range-extender route, with a small engine present only to generate power for the battery and eliminating any of the lingering range anxiety around electric cars.
A novel aspect of the C10 is the ability to fold down both the back and front seats, creating a two-metre long space for the like of picnics when the weather doesn’t play ball.
The company plans to have six vehicles on sale in its UK dealers by 2027. The coming three are expected to be a pair of electric hatchback cars and a small SUV. The B05 will be of similar size to the Ford Focus and VW Golf, there will be a small crossover, the A10, targeting the likes of the Renault 4, and then a coupe version of this model, the A05, which reportedly could have a sub £20,000 price tag.
What we don’t know is whether any of these newcomers will also be offered in range-extender form like the C10. Leapmotor management does place a lot of faith in the range-extender concept, believing it will aid the UK’s switch to electric motoring.
Where can I try a Leapmotor car?
As of May 2025, there are around 40 Leapmotor outlets in the UK, and all of them will be found alongside existing Stellantis franchises. In many cases, Leapmotor showrooms are replacing Vauxhall showrooms that have closed in recent years, and the network already includes some of the biggest dealer groups on the UK market.
Like its Chinese rivals, the company is keen to grow its presence in Britain. Stellantis has indicated that it will roll out another 40 Leapmotor showrooms by the end of this year, with more to come beyond that.
What’s particularly significant about this company?
While Leapmotor has been among a raft of new Chinese start-ups in the UK, it does claim to offer the best-value electric car in the UK in the T03, which at under £16,000 competes for rock-bottom price with the Dacia Spring but offers rather more equipment. With cost being pitched as one of the prime factors preventing drivers from going electric, such value-pitched pricing could give the company a significant advantage over rivals.
What makes Leapmotor different to the rest?
Much about Leapmotor is a familiar tale seen across the Chinese electric vehicle market – high technology companies looking to sell their products on a global stage. But it is the Stellantis link that sets this newest of new brands apart.
While Stellantis has been keen to talk up its role in bringing a new brand to market, it’s important to remember that the French-Italian giant is doing this for a good reason. Stellantis needs Leapmotor about as much as Leapmotor needs Stellantis right now, as every car company looks to ramp up EV sales while still trying to turn a profit.
Summary
With so many Chinese brands beating a path to the UK market at present, it’s easy to be sceptical as to how many will go the distance. Leapmotor may not have the “next Tesla” cachet of a brand like BYD, but the fact that Stellantis is piling so much investment into its new electric direction suggests that this will be a brand that’s here to stay.