New Leapmotor B05 to out-EV the VW ID.3 with more space for less cash
The Chinese brand looks to take on the electric family hatchback sector with its new B05
We’re seeing some big car reveals at the Munich Motor Show this week and looking to make an impact is the new Leapmotor B05.
Leapmotor might not be a name most Europeans will be familiar with, but the Stellantis-backed Chinese brand has quickly expanded its line up this year with the T03 city car, C10 SUV, B10 crossover and now this - the all-electric B05 family hatchback.
Expected to cost under £30,000 (which would undercut the Volkswagen ID.3 and Peugeot E-308), the B05 was originally confirmed in spring this year. Now, these new images give us a first full look at the new Leapmotor, ahead of its market introduction - expected in the second half of 2026. If you don’t want to wait until then, don’t forget you can head over to the Auto Express Find A Car service to get some great deals on new electric family hatchbacks from the VW ID.3 to the Peugeot E-308 and many more.
Measuring 1,880mm wide, 1,520mm tall and 4,430mm long - the B05 is longer, lower and wider than the Volkswagen ID.3, which helps give it a rather sporting stance. Sitting on 19-inch ‘Swift-Wing’ alloy wheels, the B05’s overall design isn’t dissimilar to its other offerings (apart from the decidedly different T03). There’s rounded surfacing throughout with flush-fitting door handles, a slender LED headlight strip and a full-width rear light panel.
Technical specifications are yet to be confirmed, but for the B05 we should see the same underpinnings used on the B10 SUV - which we’ve already driven in prototype form. That means Leapmotor’s latest ‘Leap 3.5’ architecture with cell-to-chassis technology (the battery is integrated into the chassis structure for increased rigidity), plus a range of over 260 miles thanks to a 67.1kWh battery.
In the B10 there’s a single, rear-mounted electric motor producing 215bhp and 240Nm of torque for a 0-62mph time of 6.8 seconds. Expect slightly better acceleration for the lighter and lower B05 should it get the same powertrain.
Another area where we expect the B05 to match the B10 is the interior. We’re yet to see inside the B05, though we should find the B10’s 14.6-inch ‘floating touchscreen’ dominating the dashboard, supplemented by an 8.8-inch driver’s display. If the rest of the Leapmotor range is anything to go by (even including the sub-£15K T03), equipment levels will be high with the likes of wireless phone chargers and a panoramic sunroof potentially coming as standard.
Leapmotor senior VP Li Cao previously told us the firm’s new range of B-badged models is “born for the youth” – with the company specifically targeting a younger audience than it has with its existing cars. We’ll have to wait and see what that means for the new B05 next year - where it’ll be joined by the A10 small SUV and A05 supermini later in 2026.
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