Leapmotor has unveiled its new B03 hatchback as a rival to electric superminis such as the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID. Polo.
Revealed under the A05 name which it will use in its native China, the B03 is also expected to go toe-to-toe with the Geely EX2, which is currently China’s best-selling EV and is due to go on sale in the UK in the coming months.
Leapmotor says the B03 is designed for young urban drivers and will deliver agility and practicality. It measures in at 4,175mm long, 1,790mm wide, and 1,560mm tall, making it 18cm longer, 2cm wider and more than 9cm taller than the award-winning Renault 5.
There are no images of the interior but its makers say the B03 will offer segment-leading flexible seating, innovative storage and premium materials.
Technical details of European models are still to be confirmed but Leapmotor says that the B03 will return up to 242 miles of range under WLTP testing. That suggests cars coming to Europe and the UK will use the 53kWh battery offered on Chinese models. If they follow the same specification as the Chinese domestic model, that battery will be paired with a 121bhp motor driving the front wheels.
A UK launch date is still to be confirmed but the Leapmotor B03 is likely to arrive in the first half of 2027, shortly after the B03X – a compact crossover set to challenge the Renault 4 and Skoda Epiq.
The B03 will sit between the £29,000 B05 and the £16,000 T03 city car, suggesting a price in the low-£20,000s. It is currently unclear whether the 39.8kWh/94bhp model also offered in China will come to the UK.
Leapmotor is majority owned by Stellantis, which already has a host of compact EVs on sale in Europe, including the Citroen E-C3, Fiat Grande Panda and Vauxhall Corsa.
