Leapmotor showcases its B01 saloon in Shanghai

First details about the B01 became known earlier this month, as Leapmotor made a regulatory filing with the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). The EV measures 4.7m in length, 1.8m width and 1.4m in height, and has a wheelbase of 2.7m. It will be available with two drivetrain options with a maximum power output of 132kW and 160kW.

One thing that had not been made public were details about the battery. According to German news outlet Welt, customers will be able to choose between two battery sizes: the 56.2 kWh battery offers a range of 510 kilometres and the 67.1 kWh battery will allow the electric saloon to go about 600 kilometres between charges. These figures are according to the Chinese testing cycle, which tends to be a bit more generous than the European WLTP standard.

However, it should be noted that other media outlets report the maximum range to be 650 kilometres according to CLTC. And the Welt writes that there are two powertrains to choose from: 132kW, which is consistent with other media, and 175 kW. Other outlets have reported that the second option is 160 kW, as noted above.

The electric car will be available in eight colours, including ‘Morgan Pink’, which is said to appeal especially to women. It also comes with a choice of two interior colours, a 14.6-inch touchscreen with over-the-air updates and chrome elements. It has an aerodynamically refined body with a drag coefficient of just 0.197Cd. That is better than the Porsche Taycan or the Tesla Model S.

At the Auto Shanghai, Leapmotor senior vice-president Cao Li said that the new EV, which will go on sale in China for the equivalent for around €12000 to €18,000, was designed for “what young consumers really want from a car”. It remains to be seen, whether the EV can deliver. Either way, Leapmotor has said that it aims to sell 40,000 units of the B01 per month.

It is not clear whether the new electric saloon will ever roam the streets of Europe. The carmaker, who partnered with Stellantis for sales on the old continent, wants to offer six EVs in Europe by 2027. However, it will likely add smaller cars and SUVs to its portfolio, as the demand for saloons in Europe is not that great.

leapmotor.com, autocar.co.uk, gasgoo.com, welt.de (in German)