Competitor in its own ranks: Leapmotor B10 - new SUV from China with a low price

The Chinese Stellantis subsidiary Leapmotor will launch the B10, a fully electric compact SUV the size of a Tiguan, this fall. Blessed with plenty of features, the compact SUV is expected to start at around €30,000. This could also make it an enemy in Stellantis' own bed.

This year, all experts are certain, more electric vehicles will be sold than combustion engines in the Middle Kingdom for the first time. This represents a turning point. The government is fully supporting the green movement. Electric vehicles in China cost only about a third as much as gasoline, and the megacities with their millions of inhabitants are generously supporting clean drive systems.

In Shanghai, for example, models that travel more than 50 kilometers purely electrically receive a green license plate for immediate registration. Anyone wanting to register a combustion engine must hope for a lottery and pay around 12,000 euros.

This helps more than any expensive marketing campaign. New electric vehicles are introduced almost daily and sell well. For example, the Chinese Stellantis subsidiary Leapmotor received 10,000 orders for its new B10 electric SUV after just one hour, and 32,000 after 48 hours.

From autumn in Germany

The compact electric version of the C10 will also be coming to Germany this fall. We were able to drive the 4.51-meter SUV at Auto Shanghai 2025. The design is based on the no-frills C10, appearing a bit sportier and more modern, but largely avoiding experiments.

Narrow LED strips illuminate the front and rear, the trunk offers space for 420 to 1415 liters of luggage, and the interior is designed with a clear and clean design. Every action must be accessed via the crystal-clear 14.6-inch touchscreen or the voice assistant. Only a few switches and dials remain on the steering wheel.

New Leap Platform 3.5

The B10 uses the new Leap 3.5 platform, on which two other B-Series models are based: the recently presented B01 hatchback sedan and the B05 hatchback, which will celebrate its world premiere at the IAA in September and will aim to compete with rivals such as the ID.3 in Germany from spring 2026.

Ample space for rear passengers, even better connectivity, and a more efficient electric drive are said to be the key advantages of the new architecture. It currently features 400-volt charging technology, but Leapmotor could respond quickly if demand increases. The platform is already designed for 800 volts. Furthermore, it has been decided that the B10 platform will be supplied to FAW's premium brand Hongqi, and discussions are also underway for a similar partnership with Ferrari.

Power levels, battery sizes and ranges

The rear-wheel drive B10 will initially be available in two power outputs and two battery sizes. Customers can choose between 132 kW/180 hp and 175 kW/238 hp. With the smaller 56.2 kWh battery, the SUV is expected to travel 510 kilometers on electric power alone, according to Chinese standards; Leapmotor promises a range of around 600 kilometers for the 67.1 kWh battery.

Since plug-in hybrids are currently very popular in China, a drive version with a range extender and a smaller battery will be available later at the same price. Here, the additional four-cylinder combustion engine doesn't directly drive the wheels, but instead charges the battery while driving, so the car is always running on electricity. The so-called REEV version is expected to be capable of a range of around 1,000 kilometers without recharging.

The "conventional" electric drive is practically old hat for the electric specialist, founded only in 2015. Leapmotor already has over 700,000 electric vehicles on the road worldwide, so the supercharged ensemble is working with great skill. A short test run with a pre-production model on the factory premises in Jinhua revealed no major surprises.

Leapmotor's ability to build decent cars was already evident with the C10. Its smaller brother, the B10, certainly still needs some fine-tuning of the chassis (a bit wobbly) and steering (not particularly responsive) before it arrives here. Fine-tuning for Europe is currently underway. Leapmotor will continuously implement further adjustments "over the air" into the vehicles as production begins. While the first B10s will still come from China, several Stellantis plants that are not fully utilized are competing for production in Europe. The current favorite is the Opel plant in Zaragoza, where the Corsa also rolls off the production line.

Advantage over other competitors from China

It will be interesting to see how Leapmotor succeeds in capitalizing on its home advantage. In Germany, the vehicles are practically available at the Stellantis dealership around the corner; 90 locations currently handle sales and service, and by 2026, there are plans to increase this to 140. These are arguments that other Chinese competitors don't have.

However, the B10 could also cause discord within the Stellantis family. Blessed with plenty of features—including a large glass panoramic roof and sound system—the compact SUV is expected to start at around €30,000. Leapmotor has also already announced attractive leasing rates. A corresponding Peugeot E-3008 costs at least €48,650, while the slightly larger Opel Grandland starts at €46,750. So, things might not be quite as cozy with the enemy in your own bed.

Leapmotor B10 - technical data

• Five-door, five-seat SUV in the upper compact class
• Length: 4.51 meters, width: 1.88 meters, height: 1.65 meters, wheelbase: 2.74 meters, trunk volume: 420-1415 liters
• Electric motor with 132 kW/180 hp, torque: 175 Nm, 0-100 km/h: 9.3 s, top speed: 160 km/h, consumption: kA, battery size: 56.2 kWh, range: 510 km (Chinese measurement standard), charging capacity: kA
• Price: from approx. 30,000 euros