Leapmotor to bring super-cheap T03 to Europe this year

Stellantis has confirmed that it will launch the Leapmotor brand in Europe later this year.

The European car giant signed €1.5 billion deal last year to secure a 21% stake in the Chinese market brand Leapmotor and secure exclusive international sales rights for its models.

It has now confirmed that it plans to start sales of Leapmotor cars in Europe this September with a D-segment SUV and an ultra-affordable city car to compete with the Dacia Spring.

Stellantis said the new Leapmotor models will “complement” the group’s existing cars and compete with existing Chinese brands such as MG and BYD, suggesting they will compete at lower price points rather than replace models from Citroen, Peugeot, Fiat and Vauxhall.

The T03 could become one of Europe’s cheapest new EVs when it arrives in late summer. Unusually for an EV it is an A-segment city car, although Leapmotor says the five-door hatch offers B-segment space. With its tiny footprint and a range of 165 miles, it’s likely to compete with the Dacia Spring.

The second model is the C10, Leapmotor’s first product specifically designed for a global market. Stellantis says it is a ‘fully equipped, family-centric’ D-segment SUV with up to 261 miles of range and a five-star Euro NCAP rating.

Leapmotor International will launch with 200 dealerships in mainland Europe ahead of wider expansion into Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America by the end of the year. UK operations are expected to begin in 2025.

Last year’s deal also gives Stellantis rights to build Leapmotor models outside of China. There are rumours that the group’s factory in Poland could switch from production of the ageing 500 hybrid to building the T03, helping reduce costs.

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

“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.”