Can Leapmotor leapfrog the competition? What you need to know about SA’s newest EV brand

Some new age manufacturers like to speak of ‘fast growth’, but in the case of China’s Leapmotor brand, ‘explosive’ is probably the most appropriate description.

The Stellantis-backed brand recently became the fastest new Chinese vehicle make to reach the one-million production mark, and most impressively, it took just shy of a year (343 days) to get there from its initial 500,000 milestone.

Leapmotor is set to launch in South Africa in mid-October, with its C10 crossover vehicle being first out of the starting blocks, and likely followed by other products such as the B10 in 2026.

The C10 is not what you would call a typical EV. Classified as a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), it attempts to combine the best of both worlds in a way that could certainly resonate with local buyers, who tend to cover longer distances.

The C10’s wheels are solely powered by an electric motor that produces a respectable 158kW and 320Nm, and this gets its juice from a 28.4 kWh battery, which offers a claimed range of up to 145km.

When the battery runs out, a 1.5-litre petrol engine fires up to act as a generator, providing power to the battery to extend the range to over 900km, according to claims.

While the overall concept might remind you of a plug-in hybrid, unlike the latter, the petrol engine never powers the wheels directly.

Charging times for the battery vary, with Leapmotor claiming it takes 28 minutes to charge from 30% to 80% when connected to a 65kW DC charger and 4.5 hours to a full charge with 6.6kW AC charging.

Drivers can choose between four modes: EV+, EV, Fuel Mode and Power+. In EV+ mode, the electric mobility is prioritised and the range extender only kicks in when the battery charge falls below 9%. 

Read our impressions from the C10's international launch

The C10's interior has a 14.6-inch central touchscreen as well as a customisable 10.2-inch digital cluster for the driver.

Pricing for the Leapmotor C10 has not been announced as yet, but the vehicle retails for under the equivalent of R800,000 in Europe and if the local importer can come in beneath that mark it could make for a competitive entry in South Africa.

What does the brand stand for?

The brand’s growth strategy is built on the idea of strengthening the foundation first and then accelerating, and the company says it has built an excellent and efficient collaboration system in technology research, development, product matrix and service network.

Leapmotor’s founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming said: "It took us five years to achieve the roll-off from the first Leapmotor S01 to the 500,000th Leapmotor car. In less than a year, we completed the roll-off from 500,000 to 1 million units, which shows that the acceleration of Leapmotor's development has become faster and faster.

“We hope that in the coming year, we can also witness the next 1 million Leapmotor rolling off the assembly line here.”

The brand’s international expansion plan takes place through a strategic joint venture with global automotive giant Stellantis, which owns 13 brands including Opel, Peugeot, Fiat and Alfa Romeo.

“South Africa is a key market for Stellantis, and the launch of Leapmotor marks an important step in offering innovative new energy vehicle options through product, innovation, and partnerships,” said Stellantis Managing Director Mike Whitfield.

Stellantis sees the C10’s REEV powertrain as being a practical solution for South African buyers, who are seeking affordable and sustainable mobility, without the range limitations of a traditional EV.

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