By Ray Massey
Updated: 00:31 AEDT, 6 October 2024
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Are new electric cars too expensive? This five-door, four-seater, zero-emissions runaround suggests not with a price tag of under £16,000.
Meet the Leapmotor T03 city car – one of a 'little and large' pair of new EV vehicles launched this month by Leapmotor. The other is the C10, a large electric SUV priced from £36,500.
Last year, Chinese Leapmotor formed a partnership with European car conglomerate Stellantis. Its T03 supermini and C10 SUV models will be sold through 200 dealerships across the UK and mainland Europe.
City slicker: The new electric Leapmotor T03 at under £16K
Leapmoter was set up in 2015 by an electrical engineer. while Stellantis's many automotive brands include Citroen, Jeep and Peugeot.
Priced at £15,995, order books have opened ahead of first deliveries in December for the new T03 city car which Leapmotor and Stellantis claim is the 'best value' electric car on the UK market.
Rival Dacia, with its all-electric Spring, from £14,995, may disagree. There's nothing like a bit of competition to keep car-makers on their toes.
I was pleasantly surprised by the hi-spec package and performance.
It's a nippy urban runaround with a fair bit of sprint and surprisingly agile going up steep hills around serpentine bends when I took it off-piste from the pre-planned lakeside route through villages and on motorways near Milan in Italy.
It's fairly spacious inside and easy to drive. Though there's too much emphasis on the central screen for key functions including air-con.
It has a panoramic sun roof, adaptive cruise control, automatic climate control and all-round electric windows.
There is lots of safety kit too, including a facial recognition camera to monitor driver fatigue. It also has a tendency to 'nanny' – with an irritating voice giving warnings.
It's a nippy urban runaround with a fair bit of sprint and surprisingly agile going up steep hills
It's fairly spacious inside and easy to drive, though there's too much emphasis on the central screen for key functions including air-con
Powered by a 37.3kWh battery and a 95hp (70kW) electric motor and riding on skinny 15-inch wheels, the T03 has a claimed average range of 165 miles (245 miles urban)
It accelerates from rest to 62mph in 12.7 seconds, up to a top speed of 81mph and 30 to 80 per cent charge in 36 minutes
There are comfortable seats but not much room in the deep, narrow boot
Powered by a 37.3kWh battery and a 95hp (70kW) electric motor and riding on skinny 15-inch wheels, the T03 has a claimed average range of 165 miles (245 miles urban) and accelerates from rest to 62mph in 12.7 seconds, up to a top speed of 81mph and 30 to 80 per cent charge in 36 minutes.
Comfortable seats but not much room in the deep, narrow boot.
There's just one version and trim level at launch and three colours – light white, glacier blue and starry white – and three driving modes: Eco, Standard and Sport.
One of my biggest gripes is with the name.
'T03' is hardly inspiring.
And some wags have taken to nicknaming it 'TOE'.
Best change it quickly - before it gets established.
Both the Leapmotor T03 and rival Dacia Spring will be on show at this month's Paris Motor Show. Let the battle commence.
Price: £15,995
On sale: now First deliveries: December
Manufacturer: Leapmotor International (a joint partnership with Stellantis, owners of 14 brands including Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, Alfa Romeo Fiat, and Jeep)
Built: China
Power: Electric
Style: Urban city car hatchback
Length: 3,620mm Width: 1,652mm Height: 1,577mm Wheelbase: 2,400mm Wheels: 15-inch
Battery: 37.3kWhElectric motor: 95hp (70kW) Average range: 165mph (245 miles urban)
O to 62mph: 12.7 seconds (initial take-off feels quicker) Top speed: 81mph
Driving modes: Eco, Standard, Sports Steering modes: Comfort, Standard, Sports
Charging time
30 to 80 per cent home-charging: 3.5 hours
Using DC charging station: 36 minutes.
Three colours: Light White, Starry Silver, Glacier Blue
Features: Facial recognition cameras to detect driver drowsiness; Panoramic sunroof; Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) – and a host of 'warnings'; Adaptive Cruise Control; Lane Departure Warning; Forward Collision Warning; Blind spot detection; 8-inch driver instrument display; 10.1 inch touchscreen central infotainment display; Over the Air (OTA) software upgrades; Claimed charging savings of 'over £500 a year' with special Octopus Go tariff
Key rival: Dacia Spring EV
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