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Leapmotor Wants to Kill the 12V Battery in Electric Cars

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Leapmotor is targeting one of the most overlooked weaknesses of modern electric cars: the humble 12-volt battery. While EVs can carry enormous high-voltage battery packs capable of delivering hundreds of kilometers of driving range, they still typically depend on a conventional low-voltage battery to operate many of the systems needed to start and run the vehicle.

Now, the Chinese automaker, in which Stellantis holds a 51 percent stake, says it has developed a solution that could make the traditional 12V battery obsolete.

The technology is part of Leapmotor’s new LEAP 5.0 New Mobile Space Architecture and CTC 3.0 High-Low Fusion system. Rather than maintaining separate high-voltage and low-voltage electrical systems, the new architecture integrates their functions into a more centralized electrical and battery system.

If the technology performs as claimed, it could represent an important change in how future electric vehicles are designed, serviced and powered.

Why Do Electric Cars Still Need a 12V Battery?

The continued use of a 12V battery in electric vehicles is one of the more curious aspects of EV technology.

An electric car can have a high-voltage battery containing enough energy to propel the vehicle for hundreds of kilometers, yet a failed 12V battery can still leave the car unable to operate.

The reason is that the high-voltage traction battery and the low-voltage electrical system traditionally perform different functions. The 12V system supplies power to numerous vehicle components, including lighting, windshield wipers, multimedia equipment, control electronics and other accessories.

It also plays an important role in bringing the vehicle’s electrical systems online.

According to figures cited from Germany’s ADAC automobile club, almost half of its approximately 3.7 million annual roadside assistance calls are associated with discharged 12V batteries. That makes the small auxiliary battery a surprisingly significant source of vehicle breakdowns.

For electric vehicles, the situation can be particularly frustrating. A driver may have plenty of energy remaining in the main battery, but a dead 12V battery can nevertheless prevent the vehicle from functioning normally.

Leapmotor’s Answer: LEAP 5.0 and CTC 3.0

Leapmotor is attempting to address the problem by combining the traditionally separate electrical architectures.

Its LEAP 5.0 New Mobile Space Architecture works together with the CTC 3.0 High-Low Fusion system, creating an electrical architecture in which high-voltage and low-voltage functions are more closely integrated.

Instead of relying on a conventional 12V battery alongside the main traction battery, Leapmotor’s system uses a 48V power supply and a centralized Clover 5.0 electronic architecture.

The company says the new system provides seven times the low-voltage power capacity of its previous-generation architecture.

The objective is not simply to replace a 12V battery with another type of auxiliary battery. Instead, Leapmotor is attempting to eliminate the traditional component altogether by integrating its functions into the vehicle’s broader high-voltage electrical architecture.

That approach could reduce the number of individual components required and simplify the vehicle’s electrical system.

A Simpler Electrical Architecture

The potential advantages extend beyond the battery itself.

Modern electric vehicles contain increasingly complex electrical networks, with numerous control units, wiring systems, converters and electronic components. Consolidating these functions can reduce component count and potentially create more efficient packaging.

Leapmotor’s CTC 3.0 system is therefore part of a broader industry trend toward centralized vehicle architectures.

The company claims that the new system is designed to remain maintenance-free throughout the vehicle’s entire service life. If that claim translates into real-world durability, owners could benefit from fewer maintenance requirements and fewer replacement components.

There is also an environmental argument.

Conventional 12V batteries eventually reach the end of their service life and must be replaced. Eliminating them could therefore reduce the amount of lead-acid battery waste generated over the lifetime of an electric vehicle.

However, the real-world reliability of the new architecture will ultimately determine whether those theoretical benefits translate into meaningful advantages for owners.

When Will Leapmotor LEAP 5.0 Reach Europe?

European customers will have to wait before experiencing the new technology.

Leapmotor says LEAP 5.0 will not arrive in Europe immediately. The first vehicle from another brand within the wider Stellantis group to use the technology is scheduled to arrive during the fourth quarter of 2027.

The timing is significant because Leapmotor’s existing models will not immediately transition to the new architecture.

The Leapmotor C10 is scheduled to receive an update in early 2027, but that refresh will continue using the previous-generation technology rather than LEAP 5.0.

That means customers purchasing the refreshed C10 should not expect the new high-low voltage architecture.

Leapmotor’s European 800V Strategy Also Differs From China

The company’s European product strategy is already diverging from its Chinese lineup in another important area.

Leapmotor has decided not to introduce the 800V version of the B10 to European customers, despite the higher-voltage version having been available in China since July.

That decision highlights the differences between Leapmotor’s technology roadmap in China and Europe.

The company is developing increasingly sophisticated electrical architectures, but the timing and specifications of individual technologies will vary depending on market.

Could the 12V Battery Become Obsolete?

Leapmotor’s approach raises an interesting question for the wider electric-car industry: does the traditional 12V battery still have a long-term future?

For decades, the 12V electrical system has been a standard feature of passenger vehicles. Electric cars changed the propulsion system but, in many cases, retained the familiar low-voltage architecture for the rest of the vehicle.

That arrangement is increasingly being challenged as automakers move toward 48V systems, centralized computing and more integrated electrical architectures.

Leapmotor’s CTC 3.0 takes that evolution one step further by attempting to eliminate the conventional 12V battery altogether.

If the technology proves reliable in large-scale production, it could eventually influence how other manufacturers approach low-voltage electrical systems in future EVs.

For drivers, the potential benefit is straightforward: fewer components that can fail and one less conventional battery that needs periodic replacement.

For automakers, the attraction could be even greater. A simplified electrical architecture can potentially reduce component count, free up packaging space, streamline manufacturing and reduce long-term service requirements.

The biggest question is no longer whether an electric vehicle needs a large battery. It is whether it needs a small one sitting beside it.

Leapmotor believes the answer may soon be no.

For European buyers, however, the transition will take time. LEAP 5.0 is still several years away from becoming widely available in Europe, with the first Stellantis-group application expected in late 2027.

Until then, the conventional 12V battery remains an essential part of most electric vehicles—and potentially one of the smallest components capable of stopping a very large battery-powered car in its tracks.

Source: Leapmotor

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CEER EXOBOT Debuts as Saudi Arabia’s 850-HP Electric Sedan and SUV

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Saudi Arabia has officially entered the high-performance electric vehicle race with the debut of the CEER EXOBOT, an ambitious new electric sedan and SUV designed to establish the country’s first major automotive brand.

Revealed on September 21, 2026, the CEER EXOBOT is not a concept car or technology demonstrator. The two vehicles are production models scheduled to enter the Saudi market in early 2027, with manufacturing planned at CEER’s facility in King Abdullah Economic City. The company ultimately plans to expand its lineup to seven models by 2030.

And if the numbers are anything to go by, CEER is not entering the automotive industry quietly.

The EXOBOT sedan and SUV feature a tri-motor all-wheel-drive system producing up to 850 hp, an 800-volt electrical architecture, a 112-kWh NCM battery and a futuristic cabin dominated by a massive 48-inch curved digital display.

Then there are the doors.

Both EXOBOT models use spectacular upward-opening doors that immediately bring to mind some of the most recognizable designs in automotive history, including the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, DeLorean DMC-12 and Tesla Model X.

850 HP and 0–100 km/h in 2.6 Seconds

The CEER EXOBOT sedan is the performance flagship of the new Saudi brand.

Its tri-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain produces up to 850 hp, giving the large electric sedan a claimed 0–100 km/h acceleration time of just 2.6 seconds. That puts the EXOBOT firmly into performance-car territory, despite its substantial dimensions.

CEER says the EXOBOT uses an 800-volt electrical architecture combined with a 112-kWh high-capacity NCM battery. DC fast charging from 10 to 80 percent takes less than 30 minutes.

The official range figures currently published by CEER are based on the NEDC test cycle. The EXOBOT sedan is rated at up to 670 km, while the SUV is rated at up to 560 km. These figures should therefore not be confused with WLTP figures, which generally produce lower real-world-oriented range estimates than NEDC testing.

The sedan also features adaptive dual-chamber air suspension, rear-wheel steering and electronically controlled steering technology, giving CEER an opportunity to combine the straight-line performance expected from a high-output EV with greater agility and ride comfort.

A 5.2-Meter Electric Sedan With Gullwing Doors

The EXOBOT sedan is a substantial machine, measuring approximately 5.26 meters in length and 2.10 meters in width, with a wheelbase of around 3.2 meters.

Its proportions are closer to those of a large luxury sedan than a conventional sports car, yet CEER has given the body an aggressively futuristic shape.

The most dramatic feature is undoubtedly the door design.

Rather than conventional side-hinged doors, the EXOBOT uses upward-opening doors inspired by the gullwing architecture that has appeared on some of the automotive world’s most famous cars. CEER describes the design as part of its distinctive visual identity, giving the new Saudi EV a theatrical entrance that is impossible to miss.

The sedan can also be equipped with large 23- or 24-inch wheels, reinforcing its imposing stance.

EXOBOT SUV Brings 850 HP to a Larger Body

For buyers who prefer the practicality of an SUV, CEER has developed a second EXOBOT variant using the same fundamental electric architecture.

The EXOBOT SUV combines three electric motors, all-wheel drive and up to 850 hp with a taller and more versatile body. CEER lists a claimed NEDC range of up to 560 km and a 0–100 km/h time of 2.6 seconds on its current official website.

The SUV measures around 5.02 meters in length and 2.10 meters in width. Its active air suspension allows the vehicle’s ride height to be adjusted, with CEER quoting up to 300 mm of ground clearance depending on configuration.

That makes the EXOBOT SUV an unusual combination: a huge luxury EV with supercar-level acceleration, advanced chassis technology and enough adjustable ground clearance to provide greater versatility away from smooth pavement.

A 48-Inch 8K Screen Dominates the Interior

Inside, CEER has taken the digital-cockpit approach to another level.

The centerpiece of the EXOBOT cabin is a pillar-to-pillar 48-inch curved Digital Horizon display with 8K resolution. It stretches across almost the entire width of the dashboard and gives the interior a distinctly futuristic character.

The technology package also includes 3D navigation, camera-based digital mirrors and a CEER voice assistant capable of operating in both Arabic and English.

The company is clearly treating software as an important part of the EXOBOT experience. Through the CEER app, owners will be able to monitor vehicle status, manage charging, pre-condition the cabin, remotely park the vehicle and access service and maintenance functions.

The combination of a giant display, digital mirrors and voice-controlled functions gives the EXOBOT an interior more reminiscent of a high-end technology product than a traditional luxury car.

Steer-by-Wire and Rear-Wheel Steering

Beneath the futuristic styling, CEER has packed the EXOBOT with a long list of advanced chassis and driver-assistance technologies.

The sedan and SUV use rear-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension, while the electric architecture incorporates sophisticated steering and vehicle-control systems. The cars are also equipped with advanced driver-assistance technologies including adaptive cruise control, lane-centering and lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, emergency driver assistance and collision-prevention systems.

The result is intended to be more than simply a fast electric vehicle.

CEER is positioning the EXOBOT as a technology-heavy luxury EV capable of combining high performance with long-distance usability and sophisticated electronic control systems.

EXOBOT First Edition Will Lead the Launch

CEER will initially offer a limited First Edition version of the EXOBOT sedan and SUV.

The launch specification includes exclusive exterior finishes, a black exterior package with red brake calipers, red-and-black Nappa leather, unique interior details and a wall charger. The First Edition also includes a companion package with vehicle warranty, roadside assistance and scheduled service and maintenance.

CEER says the First Edition includes six years of scheduled service, six years of roadside assistance and an eight-year or 200,000-km battery warranty.

A more configurable EXOBOT Plus version will follow, giving customers a wider range of colors, finishes and interior options.

CEER Wants to Build a Saudi Automotive Industry

The significance of the EXOBOT goes beyond its 850-hp powertrain or unusual doors.

CEER was established as Saudi Arabia’s national automotive brand as part of the country’s broader effort to develop an advanced industrial economy and reduce dependence on oil. The company was launched by the Public Investment Fund in partnership with Foxconn, with BMW also involved as a technology partner.

The EXOBOT is therefore the first major product in a much larger industrial project.

CEER says its vehicles will be designed, engineered and manufactured in Saudi Arabia, with production taking place at the CEER Manufacturing Complex in King Abdullah Economic City. The company’s planned portfolio will expand to seven models by 2030, including vehicles aimed at different segments and customers.

The company is led by CEO Jim DeLuca, a veteran automotive executive who previously held a senior leadership position at VinFast.

CEER EXOBOT Specifications at a Glance

CEER EXOBOT Sedan:

  • Power: Up to 850 hp
  • Drivetrain: Tri-motor all-wheel drive
  • Battery: 112 kWh NCM
  • Electrical architecture: 800 volts
  • 0–100 km/h: 2.6 seconds
  • Claimed range: Up to 670 km NEDC
  • DC charging: 10–80 percent in under 30 minutes
  • Rear-wheel steering: Yes
  • Adaptive air suspension: Yes
  • Digital mirrors: Yes
  • Main display: 48-inch curved 8K Digital Horizon
  • Doors: Upward-opening
  • Wheel sizes: 23- or 24-inch

CEER EXOBOT SUV:

  • Power: Up to 850 hp
  • Drivetrain: Tri-motor all-wheel drive
  • Battery: 112 kWh NCM
  • Electrical architecture: 800 volts
  • 0–100 km/h: 2.6 seconds
  • Claimed range: Up to 560 km NEDC
  • DC charging: 10–80 percent in under 30 minutes
  • Rear-wheel steering: Yes
  • Active air suspension: Yes
  • Maximum quoted ground clearance: Up to 300 mm
  • Digital mirrors: Yes
  • Main display: 48-inch curved 8K Digital Horizon
  • Doors: Upward-opening

When Will the CEER EXOBOT Go on Sale?

CEER plans to begin sales of the EXOBOT in Saudi Arabia in early 2027, with production taking place at the company’s King Abdullah Economic City manufacturing complex.

Pricing has not yet been officially announced, meaning it is too early to determine exactly where the EXOBOT will sit against established luxury electric vehicles from Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Porsche, Lucid and other premium manufacturers.

CEER has, however, made it clear that the EXOBOT is only the beginning. The company intends to introduce a seven-model range by 2030 and expand beyond its initial Saudi market as production grows. Reuters reports that CEER plans to begin regional expansion from 2028.

Source: CEER

News

McLaren Reveals New Brand Identity Connecting Bruce McLaren’s Legacy With Its Future

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McLaren has unveiled an evolved global brand identity designed to connect the company’s racing heritage, road-car legacy and future ambitions under one unmistakably McLaren expression.

More than a cosmetic redesign, the new identity looks back to the origins of the company founded by Bruce McLaren while providing a visual framework for where McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing are heading next. The updated identity brings together historic symbols, colours and design cues with a new McLaren wordmark inspired by the family service station in Remuera, Auckland, where Bruce McLaren began building the cars that would establish his racing career.

At its core, the new McLaren identity is about continuity. The company says its evolution is rooted in the same restless ambition that has defined McLaren for more than six decades: the belief that there is always another way to go further.

A New Chapter for McLaren

McLaren’s history has always been defined by a willingness to challenge convention. From Bruce McLaren’s early racing exploits to the technological extremes of Formula 1 and the development of legendary road cars such as the McLaren F1, the company has consistently positioned innovation at the centre of its identity.

The new brand direction aims to carry that philosophy into a new era.

David Woodhouse, Chief Creative Officer of McLaren Automotive, describes the evolution as a physical expression of the company’s ambition, creativity and forward momentum.

Rather than abandoning the visual elements that have become synonymous with McLaren, the new identity develops them. The result is intended to create a more unified expression across McLaren Automotive and McLaren Racing while also supporting a broader vision of McLaren ownership and fandom.

That means the brand is increasingly looking beyond the cars themselves, with greater emphasis on personalisation, experiences and community.

The McLaren Wordmark Returns to Its Roots

One of the most significant elements of the new identity is the redesigned McLaren wordmark.

Its inspiration comes from a particularly important piece of Bruce McLaren’s personal history: the sign above the McLaren family service station in Remuera, Auckland.

Owned by Bruce’s parents, Les and Ruth McLaren, the service station was more than a family business. It was a place where Bruce developed his mechanical skills and built the car that would eventually take him to his first racing victory.

McLaren has now reinterpreted that historic visual reference for the modern era.

The decision gives the new identity a direct connection to Bruce McLaren rather than relying solely on the company’s more recent history in Formula 1 and high-performance road cars. It also reinforces the idea that today’s McLaren is an evolution of the same ambition that existed at the beginning.

The Speedmark Remains

Despite the changes, McLaren is not walking away from the symbols that have defined the brand for generations.

The Speedmark remains a central element of the identity. One of McLaren’s most recognisable visual signatures, it continues to provide a direct link between the company’s past and its present.

For fans, the decision to retain the Speedmark is significant because the symbol has become almost inseparable from McLaren’s racing and automotive identity.

Papaya also remains at the heart of the brand.

The distinctive orange has been closely associated with McLaren since the company’s early racing history and has enjoyed renewed prominence during the team’s modern Formula 1 era. The updated identity expands the palette around papaya with additional colours inspired by important moments in McLaren’s history.

Another historic symbol also survives: the Speedy Kiwi.

The reference pays tribute to Bruce McLaren’s New Zealand heritage and preserves a visual connection to the founder whose name remains at the centre of the company more than 60 years after McLaren was established.

From Bruce McLaren to the McLaren F1

McLaren’s new identity arrives at a particularly significant point in the company’s history.

The marque’s transformation from a racing organisation into a global automotive brand has been one of the most remarkable stories in the performance-car industry.

While McLaren Racing established its reputation through Formula 1, the McLaren F1 changed perceptions of what a road car could achieve. Developed under Gordon Murray and launched in the 1990s, the F1 became a technological benchmark and remains one of the most influential supercars ever produced.

Bruce McLaren’s original ambition to build road cars is now being revisited as part of the company’s broader storytelling.

During 2026, McLaren has placed greater emphasis on its founder’s story, including the M6GT, an early expression of Bruce McLaren’s vision for a road-going car.

The company has also introduced McL 6GT as a contemporary signal of its design and performance direction.

These projects underline an important theme behind the new identity: McLaren’s future is being presented as an extension of its past rather than a departure from it.

McLaren Racing Enters a New Era

The identity update also brings McLaren Racing into the same broader visual narrative.

The Formula 1 team has entered what McLaren describes as its papaya era, with the distinctive colour becoming one of the most recognisable liveries on the modern F1 grid.

The team has also reached major milestones during 2026.

McLaren Racing has competed in its 1000th Formula 1 Grand Prix, marking a significant chapter in one of the sport’s longest-running stories.

At the same time, McLaren has announced its Hypercar challenger for the FIA World Endurance Championship. The programme puts McLaren into contention for one of motorsport’s most prestigious achievements: the Triple Crown of Motorsport.

The combination of Formula 1 and endurance racing gives McLaren an increasingly broad competitive footprint and reinforces the connection between its racing heritage and future ambitions.

McLaren Is Expanding Beyond Sports Cars

Perhaps the biggest change on the horizon is not visual at all.

McLaren Automotive has confirmed plans for a £500 million investment programme to expand its UK manufacturing and engineering footprint.

The investment is intended to support the company’s long-term growth and will coincide with a significant expansion of its product strategy.

For decades, McLaren Automotive has been closely associated with two-seat supercars and sports cars. That formula is now set to broaden with the arrival of an SUV.

The move represents a major strategic development for McLaren. It will take the brand into a market segment far removed from the lightweight, low-slung supercars that established its modern automotive identity.

Yet McLaren’s new brand philosophy suggests that the company sees this expansion as part of the same underlying mission: taking its engineering, design and performance philosophy into new territory.

One McLaren Across Racing and Automotive

The most important aspect of the new identity may ultimately be its attempt to unite McLaren’s different worlds.

For decades, McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive have shared a name, heritage and technological philosophy while operating in distinct areas. The evolved identity is designed to bring those stories closer together.

The company says its teams explored shared archives, examining the symbols, stories and design details that have shaped McLaren from Bruce McLaren’s early years in New Zealand to the global organisation it is today.

That historical approach is evident throughout the new identity.

The McLaren wordmark looks back to Bruce’s family service station. The Speedmark continues from the modern McLaren visual language. Papaya connects the company’s racing heritage with its contemporary motorsport presence. The Speedy Kiwi provides a direct link to Bruce McLaren himself.

Together, those elements create a brand identity intended to feel both historic and forward-looking.

McLaren’s Future Is Being Built on Its Past

McLaren’s new identity arrives at a moment when the company is entering one of the most consequential periods in its history.

Its racing operation is expanding its ambitions beyond Formula 1, while McLaren Automotive is preparing for a broader product portfolio and significant investment in British manufacturing and engineering.

The arrival of an SUV will fundamentally expand McLaren’s potential customer base, while continued investment in performance cars will ensure that the company’s core identity remains rooted in engineering and driving excitement.

The challenge will be maintaining the character that made McLaren distinctive as the company becomes a broader global automotive brand.

The new identity provides McLaren with the visual language it believes can bridge those two worlds.

For a company founded on the restless ambition of Bruce McLaren, the message is remarkably consistent: McLaren may be changing, but it intends to keep moving forward.

The new wordmark, Speedmark, papaya colour and Speedy Kiwi are therefore more than branding elements. Together, they form a link between the small New Zealand operation created by Bruce McLaren and the global racing and automotive organisation that carries his name today.

McLaren’s next chapter is beginning with a look back at where it all started.

Source: McLaren

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