Leapmotor International, the EV joint venture between Stellantis and China’s Leapmotor, has started sales of its first two electric cars in the UK.

Leapmotor says its models deliver a high-tech and affordable proposition for “value without compromise”

Pitched as delivering a high-tech and affordable proposition for “value without compromise”, the line-up starts with the T03 city car, priced from £15,995, followed by the C10 D-segment SUV, starting from £36,500.

Leapmotor says its new line-up delivers the best value of any electric car brand, “offering the highest levels of quality, specification and technology as standard across all models”.

Both products also get a four-year warranty while the battery features a separate eight-year guarantee.

As the international joint venture is led by 51% stakeholder Stellantis, the new EV arrivals are also supported by 44 Leapmotor dealers from the get-go, all part of the existing Stellantis network for peace of mind, and due to expand to more than 80 retailers by the end of 2025.

The T03 city car, which sits as a direct rival to the Dacia Spring supermini, is pitched as a compact hatchback with B-segment space and practicality at an A-segment price.

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The five-door, four-seater vehicle is equipped with an electric powertrain entirely developed by Leapmotor. This teams up a 95hp motor with a 37.3kWh battery, giving a WLTP combined range of up to 165 miles.

It comes with an onboard 6.6kW charger, enabling it to be charged at home from 30% to 80% in around 3.5 hours. Its maximum DC charging power of 48kW delivers the same state of charge in 36 minutes at public chargers.

It’s only available in a single specification, which features a 10.1-inch central infotainment touchscreen, keyless start, a 42-inch panoramic sunroof with an electric sunshade, climate control, 8-inch LCD instrument cluster, rear-view camera, 15-inch alloy wheels, heated electric mirrors and all-round electric windows and 10 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) functions, offering Level 2 partial driver assistance.

For those seeking something with more power, space and range, the C10 family SUV is described as the perfect choice for customers who want to “take the leap” to battery electric vehicles (BEV) and need a true family vehicle.

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A rival to the Škoda Enyaq, it features Leapmotor’s Cell-to-Chassis technology, which integrates the battery cells into the structure of the vehicle, and is equipped with a 218hp motor and a 69.9kWh battery, giving a WLTP combined range of up to 263 miles.

As with the T03, it gets just one single grade – positioned as delivering a host of premium standard features not normally seen at this price point. These include electrically powered, heated and cooled front seats, 20-inch wheels, a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree surround view camera, heated steering wheel, 12-speaker premium hi-fi, 14.6-inch HD central touchscreen and 10.25-inch instrument cluster.

The C10 also gets an intelligent ambient light system that can be synchronised with music and “exceptional” smartphone connectivity as standard, with up to five charging ports and a wireless 15W charging pad between the front seats.

In terms of safety, it’s already scored a five-star rating from Euro NCAP and comes with Level 2 partial assistance systems that span 12 high-precision sensors and 17 advanced functions, including advanced emergency braking, lane keeping assist, blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control.

Damien Dally, Leapmotor UK managing director, said: “These exciting new electric cars epitomise our bold mission to be the best-value EV brand in the UK by delivering the highest level of specification and the highest level of technology, as standard. We believe customers shouldn’t have to compromise on quality for affordability and that this is truly a value-without-compromise proposition for UK car buyers.”

Future Leapmotor models will include the B10 compact SUV, expected to arrive later this year as a rival to the Kia EV3 and Renault 4, and the C16 six-seat SUV, which is designed for fast charging and spacious family use.

Dally added: “The combination of our cutting edge technology, exceptional specification, value for money and an established dealer infrastructure means that, unlike with other car brands joining the UK market, buyers will not be taking a leap into the unknown when choosing a Leapmotor.”