Leapmotor T03 driving report: In the footsteps of Dacia

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"Cheap electric cars from China are flooding the market" - this or something similar can be read from time to time. So far, however, the tidal wave of Chinese manufacturers in Europe has been quite low. It would be foolish to simply project this description of the situation one-to-one onto the future, and cars like the Leapmotor T03 are impressive proof of what could be in store for European manufacturers. We were able to gather our first impressions on a short drive. This much can be revealed in advance: The competition better not expect a windy box that is not to be taken seriously.

First of all, we need to clear up the term "Chinese car" a little. Leapmotor was founded in China in 2015, and Stellantis has held a majority stake in the company for just under a year. The T03 has been built in China since 2020, and production is now being added in Poland to supply the European market. By the end of this year, 350 dealers in Germany are to start sales and service. This should allay customers' fears of being stranded far away from nearby support in case of doubt.

What is it actually?

By today's standards, the Leapmotor T03 is a small battery-powered electric car. At 3.62 m, it is about as long as a VW e-Up and around 8 cm shorter than a Dacia Spring. In the city, and this is likely to be the T03's main territory, the narrow width of 1.65 m is particularly noticeable. Where a driver has to aim quite carefully even with many small cars, the T03 simply weaves its way through. This kind of freedom alone should earn it a lot of sympathy.

If you look at how the traffic space taken up is used, the T03 is not doing badly either. At 210 liters, the trunk holds considerably less than in the Dacia Spring and, as expected, it is also cramped in the rear. However, the driver is comfortably accommodated in the front, and there is plenty of space in the rear, at least for children. A car with these dimensions need not and cannot offer more. However, it would be nice if the loading sill was a little lower and the loading cut-out a little larger.

Neatly finished

The interior looks modern and also solidly finished. The instrument cluster measures eight inches and the touchscreen ten. The controls are intuitive, although a few switches and buttons, for example for the air conditioning, would be helpful. It is astonishing that nothing appears overly cheap. Although hard plastic dominates, the strip with glossy black paintwork breaks things up a little. The steering wheel is covered in artificial leather, which doesn't feel bad. The two steering column levers appear more stable than in the Mercedes models based on the A-Class.

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Leapmotor T03 (11 Bilder)

The standard equipment is by no means poor either. A reversing camera, adaptive cruise control and automatic air conditioning are always included. Although the navigation system only covers rudimentary needs, it costs nothing extra. Those who actually need one will probably mostly use their cell phone anyway. Android Auto or Apple CarPlay are not yet available, but it doesn't have to stay that way. In addition, the manufacturer always includes a fixed glass roof, which can be reliably shaded by a motorized screen. You can only marvel that a manufacturer in this price range can manage such a solution. I still think with horror of the strange folding construction at this point in the Skoda Fabia.

Only one drive

The customer only has to choose between three colors when buying, everything else has no alternative. The electric drive has an output of 70 kW and offers a maximum torque of 158 Nm. It is very agile in the city and sufficiently nippy on country roads. Leapmotor quotes a time of 12.7 seconds for the standard sprint and 130 km/h on the highway. Here, the manufacturer is simply orienting itself to what is the upper limit almost everywhere in the world anyway. The rather compliant suspension set-up, which absorbs a lot, also fits in with this.

Where the T03 is likely to be used most often, the top speed is just as irrelevant as the maximum range. Leapmotor states 265 km in the WLTP. The battery has a capacity of 37.2 kWh, which can currently only be charged with a maximum of 6.6 kW on single-phase alternating current. On a standard three-phase wallbox with 11 kW, this means that charging stops at 3.7 kW. Full AC charging power can be used at most public charging stations. A three-phase charger will be added in November. We would recommend that customers wait for this upgrade, as it should make it easier to resell in a few years' time. It also takes longer to charge at a DC charging station with a maximum of 45 kW than with a Citroën ë-C3, for example, which charges with up to 100 kW at peak times. Leapmotor quotes a time of 36 minutes for charging from 30 to 80 percent. Under ideal conditions, this corresponds to an average charging capacity of 31 kW.

The three driving modes Eco, Standard and Sport do not differ greatly, which is probably not what anyone seriously expected. On this first test drive, we drove in the city, on country roads and on highways. The average consumption displayed in the on-board computer was 13.4 kWh/100 km. That would be 2.9 kWh/100 km less than stated, although the WLTP value includes the average charging losses.

Conclusion

A Dacia Spring is even cheaper in the basic version, but with a comparable range of equipment, the price advantage is gone. At 18,900 euros and with extensive standard equipment, the Leapmotor T03 is fairly priced. Above all, it shines for what it was made for: Its small size is a huge advantage in city traffic, and its electric motor makes it very agile. In this environment, the short range is hardly a problem and a higher AC charging capacity is in sight.

What is surprising is that nothing about the T03 appears to have been overly pared down. Combined with the almost unrivaled low price, this could be one of the keys to its success. Pragmatists will hardly be bothered by the fact that it won't win any prizes for its charming appearance.

(olb)