New Leapmotor B05 offers a 300-mile range for less than £30,000
Fourth model from new Chinese firm looks like a tough competitor in the family EV market
Leapmotor might not be a name most Europeans will be familiar with, but the Stellantis-backed Chinese brand has quickly expanded its line up with the T03 city car, C10 SUV, B10 crossover and now the all-electric B05 family hatchback, which will go on sale from July.
A rival for the likes of the Peugeot E-308, Vauxhall Astra Electric, Volkswagen ID.3 and Cupra Born, the Leapmotor undercuts all of those on price, because it kicks off at £30,495 – or £28,995 taking into Leapmotor’s self-imposed ‘Leap-Grant’ offer of £1,500.
The recently revealed, 242bhp ‘Ultra’ hot hatch version of the B05 isn’t coming to the UK, so as with every other Leapmotor there’s just one unnamed trim level available. Thanks to a 67.1kWh battery, the B05 is good for 300 miles of range under WLTP testing - more than you get in all of the aforementioned electric hatchbacks in their base forms, as well as entry-level versions of the Kia EV3 and Skoda Elroq. The B05 also comes with 178kW charging speeds, meaning a 30 to 80 per cent top up can take 17 minutes.
The B05 uses Leapmotor’s ‘Cell-to-Chassis’ architecture, meaning the battery is integrated into the structure of the vehicle. With a MacPherson front and multi-link rear suspension – apparently tuned for European roads – and a 215bhp rear-mounted electric motor, the B05 “delivers dynamic performance and refined comfort”, Leapmotor claims. The B05 also has a launch control system to help it get from 0-62mph in 6.7 seconds.
Also like other Leapmotors, the B05 is very well equipped. As standard you get 19-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, automatic air-conditioning, automatic LED lights front and rear, and electrically operated heated and folding wing mirrors.
Inside, you’ll find Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity on the 14.6-inch touchscreen, which is supplemented by an 8.8-inch driver’s display and has the capacity for over-the-air updates. The car also has frameless windows with tinted rears, wireless smartphone charging, in-car WiFi, heated front seats that can recline flat, a heated steering wheel, synthetic leather upholstery and keyless entry.
Less impressive is the B05’s space. While Leapmotor says there’s generous headroom in the cabin, the boot capacity stands at a fairly average 345 litres. The VW ID.3 will take 40 litres more and the Kia EV3’s boot is a whopping 460 litres.
Like every Leapmotor the B05 is covered by a four-year and 60,000-mile warranty, whereas the battery gets a separate eight-year and 100,000-mile warranty.
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