A Chinese car company with ties to brands including Vauxhall, Fiat, and Peugeot has announced a new electric model that will rival one of the most popular Teslas for a significantly lower price. The Leapmotor B01 is a four-door family saloon with similar dimensions to the Tesla Model 3, which is set to go on sale in China in the coming months and could launch in European markets in the near future.
The Stellantis-owned brand launched in the UK at the start of 2025 and currently offers the T03 city car, currently the cheapest Chinese electric car in the country at £15,995, and the C10 - an SUV that rivals the MG HS and Skoda Enyaq. Leapmotor's latest model offers very similar styling to the C10, including a particularly thin set of LED front headlights that are connected via a black bar underneath a flat bonnet.
The new model also appears to have a full-size glass roof, black trim around the front and rear bumpers, the front of which features small fog lights, and flush-fitting door handles.
Inside, the Leapmotor B01 avoids feeling drab by coating the seats, door cards, and dashboard in white materials and touches of copper trim around the air vents.
Much like the Tesla Model 3, practically all controls for features such as the radio and air conditioning system are located on the large touchscreen, with virtually no visible tactile buttons.
Nevertheless, there is a large centre console between the two front seats, which appears to offer a wireless phone charger, a pair of cupholders, and a large storage compartment.
Leapmotor has yet to reveal any information about the B01's powertrain; however, it is said to be significantly more aerodynamic than most electric models, including the Porsche Taycan.
As a result, the Chinese CLTC test cycle, which calculates the range of electric vehicles, claims that the new model will be capable of covering up to 404 miles per charge.
The Leapmotor B01 is set to cost new car buyers in China around £15,000 - around the same price as the cheapest electric car in the UK. However, if the model is exported, the increased safety technology required would mean it would likely cost between £25,000 and £30,000 - a figure still around £10,000 less than the entry-level Tesla Model 3.
Leapmotor is still establishing itself in the UK's new car market, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers recording 193 sales in the country during March 2025.
Whilst the figure is still low compared to other newcomer brands from China, including JAECOO, BYD, and OMODA, it could rapidly rise due to the brand's connections with Stellantis, the carmaking giant that owns popular brands such as Citroen, Vauxhall, and Alfa Romeo.
Leapmotor models are now being sold in the company's wide range of dealerships, with some cars also set to be produced in European factories.
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