Leapmotor T03: Electric driving at a budget price

Automotive history tends to repeat itself: In the 1970s, we never wanted to buy Japanese cars. And in the 1990s, we didn't want to buy South Korean cars. Today we sit in a Mazda or Toyota, Kia or Hyundai and are happy. Now the Chinese are coming. They are likely to establish themselves even faster because they are starting at a higher level - as you can see and, above all, feel with Leapmotor. The Swiss car giant Emil Frey AG has been importing the (still) small Chinese brand since the end of January. Initially there are 16 Swiss dealers, half of which are Emil Frey garages.

Leapmotor was founded only in 2015 and is now closely linked to Stellantis (Alfa, Citroën, Fiat, Jeep, Opel, Peugeot and Co.). 300,000 cars in 2024. For comparison: as big as Porsche. But in 2023 it was still half that. Leapmotor is now launching in 14 European countries, initially with two models. The launch strategy: to be good and affordable. The C10 family SUV is priced from CHF 35,990 with an electric battery or with a petrol engine that generates traction current, and will even be available with all-wheel drive from under CHF 40,000 from the fall. We will soon find out what it can do in our test.

But first to smaller things. In other words, the T03 for 16,990 francs. An electric car that makes complaints about overly expensive e-cars fizzle out like eight-cylinder engines fizzle out. The Leapmotor T03 is entering a segment that has been abandoned by many brands: the subcompact segment. These are never big sellers in Switzerland, but there is still demand for them, whether as a second car in the suburbs or as a pizza courier. The only direct competitor is the electric Dacia Spring. Advantage T03: Everything is already included. Sunroof, sat nav, reversing camera, parking sensors, two large displays, six airbags, assistance ranging from radar cruise control to lane departure warning, online updates - everything comes as standard.

Sure, eye-catchers are different. But: it's always neat. Get in - and be amazed. Let's be honest: we were expecting an aroma of poverty. And what we got was economy (plenty of hard plastic), but at European level and super solidly made. Nothing rattles or creaks, chrome details liven things up. We would have liked the steering wheel to be height-adjustable and the front seats to be more upholstered; on the other hand, this is not a family car for a trip to Rimini. Rear passengers wouldn't arrive there in good health anyway: Depending on the size of the person sitting in front, it's tight at the knees in the back. But the space is as class-standard as the load compartment.

Which we like very much: Although the T03 is short at 3.62 meters and narrow at 1.65 meters, it is 1.58 meters high: a comfortable entry height and a great view, almost like in a city SUV. The digital displays are also well done: everything is puzzle-free and, apart from the fiddly digital heating controls, very practical. And: a five-year full warranty and eight-year battery warranty allay our concerns.

Let's go. With electricity, 70 kW (95 hp) is a different world than with gasoline: 0 to 100 km/h in 12.7 seconds sounds lame, but is subjectively fast. Why? With a petrol engine, we first have to rev it up and stir the gearbox eagerly. The T03 simply hums off and quickly picks up speed. No catapult, but no feeling of lack. And: no shifting, which is relaxing. The range? Enough. The 37-kWh battery officially (WLTP) gives 265 kilometers (factory consumption 16 kWh/100 km). On the test drive, it turns out to be over 240 kilometers. Speaking of speedy: the top speed of just 130 km/h sounds lame, but even between 100 and 120 km/h, the e-midget really picks up speed and is faster than the police allow. So surely the chassis has weaknesses? Not at all: The T03 corners nimbly, has impeccable suspension and is neither a sports car nor a sedan, but a well-balanced mix. Great: as in sports saloons, we can vary the steering and engine response in three stages at the touch of a virtual button. As a result, the e-dwarf, which weighs 1250 kilos despite the battery, is light and airy in the city, but corners ambitiously over land and never hurts us.

At home at the socket or wallbox (6.6 kW AC), it takes around three and a half hours from 30 to 80 percent of the battery, and 36 minutes at the fast charger (48 kW DC). Not insane, but good for this price segment. And madness is not the T03's job either: it offers nippy city dwarf fare at a very fair price, and 100 kilometers cost less than five francs of electricity. And suddenly you realize why Europeans fear cars from China: The T03 does almost everything right, so it shouldn't be its fault. Now we are curious to see how Swiss customers will react.