Leapmotor has made its first appearance in Malaysia with the C10 electric SUV, which the brand had recently shown alongside the C11, C16 and the T03 hatchback at the Auto China 2024 motor show in Beijing, China this year.
While the T03 was initially thought to be the launch model for the brand in Malaysia, given its prior stated positioning of offering affordable EVs as part of Stellantis Malaysia’s product plan for returning and upcoming brands under its umbrella, it is the C10 that will lead the brand’s product introduction in Malaysia in the fourth quarter of this year.
Why the C10 SUV, rather than the T03 hatchback for Malaysia? The target buyer for EVs in Malaysia tends to more affluent and therefore are less constrained by cost, which is why it makes more sense for the brand to be introduced with a larger model, said Stellantis Malaysia managing director Jamie Morais to paultan.org at the 2024 Malaysia Autoshow.
In terms of positioning, Stellantis Malaysia has yet to reveal a price point for the C10, though Morais hints that the upcoming electric SUV will be in the price ballpark “of the most popular EVs currently in Malaysia.”
Given the size of the C10 which measures 4,739 mm long, 1,900 mm wide and 1,680 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,285 mm, this makes it a D-segment SUV in the size category of the Proton X90, and in terms of EV SUVs, could position it slightly above the smaller BYD Atto 3, which is currently priced from RM130k.
The Leapmotor C10 will have a battery range of up to 420 km on the WLTP testing standard, Leapmotor founder and CEO Jiangming Zhu said during the formal announcement of the Leapmotor International joint venture this month.
The C10 is one of two models listed as the beginning of the Leapmotor product roadmap worldwide, which will be followed by an SUV model next year. Internationally, another two hatchbacks will be announced in 2026, followed by another SUV in 2027.
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