Tag Archives: Leapmotor

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Leapmotor D99 Signals China’s Next Electric Minivan Arms Race

Leapmotor has spent the past decade quietly sharpening its tools, and for its 10th anniversary the Stellantis-backed Chinese brand rolled out something big—literally. Meet the Leapmotor D99, the company’s first electric minivan and a clear signal that China’s MPV segment is no longer just about luxury sofas on wheels, but about battery bragging rights.

The D99 lands in familiar company. Rivals like the Xpeng X9, Zeekr 009, and Li Auto Mega have already turned the once-humble minivan into a rolling tech lounge. Leapmotor’s twist? Offering both a full battery-electric version and a range-extender variant that flexes some of the largest battery packs the segment has seen.

Visually, the D99 sticks to Leapmotor’s established design language. The nose is almost comically short, with the windshield pushed far forward past the front axle—a layout that should translate to excellent outward visibility and maximum cabin volume. Smooth surfacing dominates the profile, broken up by retractable door handles (still legal for now in China) and blacked-out B- and C-pillars that create a floating-roof effect.

At the rear, a full-width LED light bar gives the D99 a suitably futuristic send-off. It’s clean, inoffensive, and very much in line with what Chinese buyers currently favor—less statement piece, more high-end appliance.

Where the D99 really starts swinging elbows is underneath. The range-extender version rides on an 800-volt architecture and packs an enormous 80.3-kWh battery. That’s not just large for a plug-in hybrid—it’s the largest battery currently offered in any range-extender vehicle. For context, Zeekr’s 9X EREV tops out at 70 kWh, while the upcoming range-extended Xpeng X9 settles for 63.3.

Leapmotor claims the D99 EREV can cover up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) on electric power alone before the combustion engine needs to wake up. While engine details haven’t been officially confirmed, expectations point to a familiar 1.5-liter four-cylinder similar to the unit used in the C10 REEV.

If that still sounds too compromised, the fully electric D99 removes the engine entirely and turns the voltage dial even higher. Its 1000-volt platform supports a massive 115-kWh CATL battery, good for a claimed 720 kilometers (447 miles) of range. That puts it squarely in long-distance territory and suggests ultra-fast charging capability to match—details Leapmotor hasn’t yet shared but almost certainly will.

Interior photos remain under wraps, but expectations are easy to set. Leapmotor’s recent models lean heavily on expansive screens, plush seating, and an emphasis on rear-seat comfort. This is a minivan designed less for hands-on drivers and more for executives, families, or VIP passengers who expect to recline while someone—or something—else handles the steering.

Pricing and market availability are still unknown, though more information is promised in the coming weeks. Whether the D99 ever ventures beyond China remains to be seen, but its spec sheet alone makes one thing clear: the electric minivan is no longer a niche experiment. It’s a battleground—and Leapmotor just showed up with one of the biggest batteries in the room.

Source: Leapmotor

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Leapmotor Sets Its European Ambitions in Motion Ahead of Brussels Motor Show 2026

Leapmotor is preparing to make a decisive statement at the Brussels Motor Show 2026, marking a major milestone in its European expansion strategy. With three significant premieres lined up—the European debut of the all-electric B03X crossover, the first look at the B05 hatchback’s interior, and the European launch of the B10 Hybrid EV with range-extender technology—the Chinese manufacturer is clearly signaling that it intends to be more than a niche player in Europe’s increasingly competitive electrified car market.

Rather than focusing on a single halo model, Leapmotor is using Brussels to present a coherent portfolio that spans full electric and range-extended solutions, aimed squarely at mainstream European buyers.

Leapmotor B03X: A New Take on the Electric B-Segment Crossover

Making its European premiere, the Leapmotor B03X arrives as a fully electric B-segment crossover built on the brand’s all-new global platform. This architecture underpins Leapmotor’s next generation of vehicles and has been designed with modularity, efficiency, and intelligent systems at its core.

In terms of proportions, the B03X sits comfortably within the heart of the European compact crossover class. Measuring just over 4,200 mm in length, 1,800 mm in width, and around 1,600 mm in height, with a wheelbase exceeding 2,600 mm, it promises a surprisingly spacious cabin for both front and rear passengers—an area where many compact EVs still struggle.

Aerodynamics play a central role in the B03X’s design philosophy. With a drag coefficient of approximately 0.26, features such as semi-hidden door handles, a floating roof design, and carefully sculpted body surfaces help maximize efficiency without sacrificing visual appeal. LED lighting signatures and 18-inch wheels complete an exterior that feels contemporary rather than experimental.

Inside, Leapmotor is aiming for a balance between premium feel and everyday usability. High-quality materials, clean surfaces, and an intuitive layout are intended to reduce complexity and enhance comfort, aligning with the brand’s vision of “smart, green, and stylish” urban mobility. The B03X is positioned not as a tech showcase alone, but as a practical electric companion for daily European driving.

Leapmotor B05: Interior Innovation Takes Center Stage

While the B05 hatchback has already drawn attention for its bold exterior design, Brussels 2026 will mark the first exclusive reveal of its interior—and with it, the car’s technological and ergonomic ambitions.

On the outside, the B05 projects a confident, performance-inspired character. Its wide-body stance, sculpted aerodynamic lines, and frameless doors give it an athletic silhouette rarely seen in the segment. Signature LED lighting and a distinctive front fascia further underline its modern, expressive identity.

The interior reveal is where Leapmotor aims to redefine expectations. According to the brand, the B05’s cabin combines ergonomic seating, premium materials, and intuitive technology to create a space focused on comfort and ease of use. Rather than overwhelming drivers with complexity, the emphasis is on life-easing functionality—controls and interfaces designed to feel natural from the first drive.

This approach reflects a broader shift in automotive design, where the driving experience is no longer defined solely by performance figures, but by how seamlessly technology integrates into everyday life. From its dynamic exterior to its refined interior, the B05 is positioned as a hatchback that delivers both excitement and comfort in equal measure.

B10 Hybrid EV: Electric Driving Without Range Anxiety

Completing Leapmotor’s Brussels trio is the European launch of the B10 Hybrid EV, a compact SUV powered by range extender electric vehicle (REEV) technology. Built on the LEAP 3.5 platform, the B10 REEV combines pure electric driving with the reassurance of extended range—an increasingly relevant proposition for European buyers transitioning away from combustion engines.

Unlike conventional hybrids, the B10’s REEV system does not mechanically drive the wheels with its petrol engine. Instead, a small, highly efficient engine acts purely as a generator, recharging the battery when needed. The result is consistent electric performance, even on longer journeys, without the need for frequent charging stops.

This technology has already been adopted in Leapmotor’s C10 REEV, and its expansion into the B10 underlines the brand’s belief that range-extender solutions can play a key role in Europe’s electrification journey—particularly in regions where charging infrastructure is still developing.

A Clear Signal to Europe

With the B03X, B05, and B10 Hybrid EV, Leapmotor’s presence at the Brussels Motor Show 2026 is more than a product showcase—it is a strategic statement. By blending full electric vehicles with range-extended solutions, and pairing bold design with practical technology, the brand is positioning itself as a serious contender in Europe’s next phase of electric mobility.

As European consumers demand smarter, more flexible, and more stylish alternatives to traditional cars, Leapmotor’s expanding portfolio suggests that the company is not just entering the market—but planning to compete in it on its own terms.

Source: Stellantis

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Leapmotor’s New Safety Lab Aims to Bring Order to the Chaos of Smart Mobility

As automakers race toward full autonomy, one truth remains stubborn and unavoidable: advanced features mean nothing if drivers don’t trust them. Leapmotor seems to understand that better than most. The company has officially opened its Automotive Security and Safety Lab, a facility engineered to tackle the growing concerns surrounding intelligent, connected cars. In a market increasingly defined by sensors, software, and over-the-air everything, Leapmotor is trying to make safety feel less like a marketing claim and more like a deliverable.

A Safety Play for the Smart-Car Era

Modern vehicles talk constantly — to the cloud, to the road, to other cars, and, indirectly, to the people inside them. That connectivity brings convenience, but also vulnerability. Leapmotor’s new lab is built around that tension. It promises a holistic approach: securing data, strengthening networks, verifying system behavior, and — most importantly — building trust in all those AI-driven features automakers are packing into new models.

The brand frames the initiative under a clear philosophy: “user safety first.” To make that more than a slogan, the lab operates under strict global standards and introduces a five-part protection architecture that spans cybersecurity, data security, functional safety, and the increasingly important domain of “intended functional safety,” which ensures tech behaves the way engineers actually meant it to.

Inside the Intelligent Control Center

At the core of the operation is what Leapmotor calls its Intelligent Control Center — think of it as a digital command hub that blends vehicle, cloud, and road data into one real-time situational picture. The system runs advanced simulations, shares threat intelligence across platforms, and deploys rapid-response actions when anomalies pop up. In theory, this gives every Leapmotor vehicle something like a guardian brain operating in the background.

It’s an ambitious strategy, but on paper it makes sense: modern problems require modern defense mechanisms, and smart cars need something smarter than traditional system checks.

Testing in the Real World — And Beyond It

Leapmotor says every vehicle undergoes testing in the kinds of environments drivers face daily — heavy rain, dense fog, pitch-black nights — as well as extremes they hopefully never will. Cybersecurity systems are audited for full compliance, while functional safety receives the lab’s most intense scrutiny. Engineers run over 1,000 fault-injection simulations, pushing systems into edge cases that mirror rare but possible real-world failures. The goal? Confirm that safeguards work not only when conditions are ideal, but when they’re decidedly not.

The program is backed by ISO 26262 ASIL D certification, the highest level of automotive functional safety, often reserved for systems whose failure could have serious consequences.

More Than a Lab — A Lifecycle Commitment

Where many automakers treat safety testing as a step in development, Leapmotor is framing this as a full-lifecycle mission. The lab’s multidisciplinary team is involved from the earliest design sketches all the way to real customer vehicles on the road. It’s not just quality control — it’s ongoing supervision.

Why It Matters

Leapmotor isn’t the only brand chasing safer smart mobility, but this dedicated lab signals that the company wants to be taken seriously in a global field where reputation matters as much as horsepower or battery range. As automated driving inches closer to the mainstream, consumers are looking for signs that automakers are preparing for the complexities ahead, not playing catch-up.

By tying every future innovation back to this new safety infrastructure, Leapmotor is delivering a clear message: no matter how advanced the features become, they’ll be rooted in a promise to protect the people using them.

Whether the new lab ultimately gives Leapmotor a competitive edge remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — the brand is betting big that smart driving will only succeed if drivers feel safe.

Source: Leapmotor