When you’ve got a penchant for Chinese language electrical automobiles, you need to really feel such as you’ve gained the rattling lottery in Australia, such is the hailstorm of cheaper-than-their-rivals choices at present making dents in our new-car market.
MG, GWM, BYD. Okay, we all know them. However then there’s Zeekr, Xpeng, Deepal, Chery, Jaecoo, Geely — the listing goes on and on.
The following to reach is Leapmotor, which can be providing the C10 in Australia from November. The corporate was solely based in 2015, and didn’t even produce a automobile till 2019, however already the model is an enormous participant in China, and is focusing on 500,000 world gross sales each year by 2030.
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However to do half 1,000,000, it might want greater than China. Enter, then, Stellantis (of Jeep, Dodge, Ram, Alfa Romeo, Peugeot and Citroen fame). The auto big took a sizeable chunk of Leapmotor’s Chinese language enterprise, after which signed a 51/49 (in Stellantis’ favour) worldwide distribution three way partnership to carry Leapmotor to the world.
Its first world product is that this C10 — a Tesla Mannequin Y-sized electrical SUV that provides oodles of house, and loads of worth.
Come November, you’ll be capable to purchase the C10 from Jeep dealerships in Australia, and at a worth that severely undercuts the Mannequin Y.
2024 Leapmotor C10 worth and gear
We don’t know formally pricing, however we do know it is best to be capable to shave round $10k off the price of a Tesla Mannequin Y, with the Leapmotor C10 anticipated to land at round $45k for the Type and $49k for the Design.
As I kind, the customarily fluctuating worth of the Tesla Mannequin Y is listed at extra like $55k, which means there are actual financial savings to be discovered right here.
And also you get loads of stuff. Type automobiles arrive with 18-inch alloys, LED lighting throughout and a credit-card type key, or a cellphone app, to get in and go.
Within the cabin, there’s an enormous panoramic glass roof with an automated solar shade, dual-zone local weather management, electrical entrance seats, a ten.25-inch driver show and a 14.6-inch central display with in-built nav and a 12-speaker stereo. Be warned, there’s no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, which can be launched subsequent 12 months someday, however gained’t be capable to retrofitted.
Design automobiles add 20-inch alloys, automated boot opening and heating and air flow for the entrance seats. It’s value mentioning that, in Europe, there’s solely a 1300 Euro worth distinction between the fashions. If that’s extra like $5k in Australia, then a powerful case could be made for sticking with the most cost effective one.
In spite of everything, each share the identical powertrain and charging capabilities, with a single rear-mounted electrical motor that delivers 160kW and 320Nm. It may not sound like a lot, however it’s truly loads to get the C10 up and shifting, particularly in its Sport setting, however it gained’t be blurring the surroundings. Zero to 100km/h takes a bit of over seven seconds.
Charging is curious, too. Whereas the MY25 automobile due subsequent 12 months will possible undertake the Chinese language model’s 800v structure, this C10 will get 400v, and pretty sluggish DC charging. It’s capped at 84kW, which implies at greatest it should take round 30 minutes to tackle simply over 200kms in driving vary.
All up, Leapmotor says you’ll get 424km from its 69.9kWh LFP (lithium ferro-phosphate) battery earlier than you could plug in.
The Leapmotor is taking pictures for a five-star security score with its C10, and all of the sensors and energetic security capabilities are current, accounted for, and, in some instances, infuriatingly annoying.
The C10 will get a seven-year, unlimited-kilometre guarantee, however service pricing hasn’t been confirmed. It measures 4739mm lengthy, 1900mm vast and 1680mm tall, and it rides on a 2825mm, making it nearly bang-on the Tesla Mannequin Y.
2024 Leapmotor C10: What we predict
First issues first, the C10 doesn’t really feel like an upstart model’s first try at a worldwide product. It’s not totally bug-free, however we left the launch impressed by its high quality appear and feel and by the know-how on supply.
That’s, when the know-how works. We have been informed our C10s have been pre-production automobiles – a helpful catch-all meaning the model remains to be figuring out kinks – and each of our check automobiles suffered from tech and driving gremlins at instances, together with being locked out or unable to start out the automobile with out resetting the methods.
Nonetheless, these quirks apart, the C10 is a kind of automobiles that does precisely what it says on the tin. It’s a snug, spacious, quiet drive, and whereas there’s nothing overly thrilling or participating concerning the expertise, there additionally isn’t something overtly unfavourable about it both.
Sure, the security methods are annoying – however they are often pretty shortly turned off – and the expertise is missing within the deep-connection division, however I think there are many drivers (particularly drivers of massive, household pleasant SUVs) who simply need to get in, get shifting and get to their vacation spot, and it’s right here that the C10 does its easiest work.
We coated loads of kilometres throughout all types of street surfaces and speeds, from freeways to city centres, and the C10 by no means felt underpowered or outsized, the latter of which being significantly spectacular given its soccer pitch of a backseat.
And, whereas that is positive to get the Tesla trustworthy riled up, I reckon it seems considerably higher than a Mannequin Y, too.
The one actual dealbreaker is its underwhelming charging speeds, and the dearth of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Each will possible be fastened subsequent 12 months, however those that purchase now should go with out.
2024 Leapmotor C10: Verdict
Rating: 3/5
That is straight-up-and-down EV motoring from Leapmotor, with the C10 a real – and cheaper – various to the Tesla Mannequin Y for these searching for measurement and house from their electrical SUV.
2024 Leapmotor C10 worth and specs
Value: From round $45,000Basics: EV, 5 seats, 5 doorways, SUV, RWDRange: 423km (WLTP)Battery capability: 69.9kWhBattery guarantee: 7 years/limitless kmEnergy consumption: 19.7Wh/100kmMotor: 1 rear 160W/320NmAC charging: 6.6kW, Kind 2 plugDC charging: 84kW, CCS combo plug0-100km/h: 7.3 seconds