Leapmotor T03

Don't judge by its looks. At first glance, the T03 has all the appeal of a baby hippo: nice to look at, but no one would take it home. That's because the model entered the Chinese market in 2020, where it met the ideal image of a small car at that time. To keep the price down, the T03 has been brought to Europe unchanged.

Space

Backing the quirky design is a clever concept: because the charger is in the front, more space was left in the cabin. The small wheels may give it a less rugged look, but they also require small wheel arches and thus provide a lot of interior space. Moreover, the T03 is well finished inside and out. The doors close with a solid sound and even on extreme road surfaces the test car did not budge. Inside, therefore, the T03 offers the mature feel it lacks on the outside.

When everyone gives and takes a little, four large adults can fit in this small car. The fit of the seats leaves much to be desired. They offer hardly any lateral support and the seats are very short in both the front and rear. Luggage space is modest and is largely taken up by the bag with charging cables. Interior storage space is fine, including a handy cup holder with compartment for a mobile phone.

Equipment

The T03 comes in only one trim level, and considering the price, it is particularly richly equipped. For instance, the T03 is equipped with a digital cockpit, a complete infotainment system, a sunroof, a reversing camera (with dynamic assist lines), air conditioning, internet connection for online updates, keyless entry, an electrically operated parking brake, electrically operated side windows, two USB-A connectors and soon support for Apple CarPlay / Android Auto. Of course, Leapmotor provides all the safety features required by the European Union. These are trigger happy, but fortunately easy to disable. While a few competitors offer a similar car at the same price tag, they cannot match this equipment.

Though it is also noticeable that Leapmotor has economized to arrive at the low price. For instance, the steering wheel is adjustable only in height and not in distance from the driver. The central display sits too low and too far to the left, making it difficult to read. Moreover, it reflects so strongly that the co-driver's face can sometimes be seen easier than the on-board computer! The navigation system's instructions arrive late or early, but rarely on time. The sound of the audio system is cluttered and dull. There is a smart, voice-activated assistant. However, it literally replies to every request that the requested function is not yet available.

The T03 has air conditioning, but no climate control. At the start of each journey, it has to be switched on again. Below 30 km/h, a pedestrian warning sound is heard. However, this is so loud that it can also be heard inside, which is particularly annoying in the long run. The T03 can be unlocked using an app on the mobile phone, but it uses Bluetooth instead of NFC. Bluetooth is less secure and does not function when the smartphone's battery is dead.

Cheap electric car

Leapmotor is a specialist in the field of electric cars and therefore builds most of the powertrain in-house. Because all parts are optimally integrated, Leapmotor can produce more economically. The battery cells are bought from a third party supplier. Leapmotor itself builds the battery packs, inverter and electric motor. On paper, the T03 has an output of 95 hp / 158 Nm, but in practice it feels like much more. This little car is surprisingly quick, which makes it really fun to drive. Thereby, the T03 is very quiet, even at higher speeds. Those who now own a compact car with an internal combustion engine will therefore really find the T03 an improvement.

Like any other electric car, the T03 recovers energy when the throttle is released. However, the driver cannot choose how much the T03 regenerates and thus how much speed the car reduces when releasing the accelerator. There is only one mode of regeneration and Leapmotor has chosen it well, as braking is unnecessary in many cases because it uses engine braking. Thanks to efficient regeneration and the modest size of the car, test consumption came to 11.3 kWh per 100 km. That's over a simple route with mainly city traffic and country roads, but still very economical nonetheless.

It also provides a range of 265 km. While that is much less than a similar petrol-powered car, the latter has to refuel periodically. An electric car charges while parked and therefore starts most journeys with a full battery. Charging can be done at home, at a public charging point and at a quick charger. In theory, the T03 can charge at a rate of 45 kW. That is slow in absolute terms, but quite acceptable compared to the capacity of the battery.

Handling

At the sight of this endearing little vehicle with small wheels and narrow tyres, many expect little in the way of handling. However, because the batteries are built into the floor, the centre of gravity is low and central. The weight is evenly distributed over the front and rear wheels. Therefore, the car does not feel heavy, but rather stable and capable. In the process, no savings have been made on suspension technology. Handling is therefore the T03's biggest surprise! Thanks to its electric drive, the T03 is not only quicker, quieter, cleaner and more economical than a similar petrol-powered car, its handling is better too! The steering is light and sloppy in standard mode, in sport mode there is plenty of communication between the driver and the mechanics and the driving fun only increases.

At the same time, the T03 manages to impress with comfort on bad roads. Even on extremely bad road surfaces, this cheap little car offers more comfort than some cars double the price! When the T03 is forced into an awkward situation, the electronics effectively correct it and/or limit its power to protect the driver from himself.

Finally

To gain a foothold as a new brand in Europe, China's Leapmotor has partnered with Stellantis, the parent company of Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat and Alfa Romeo, among others. Therefore, dealers of these brands will also start selling and servicing Leapmotors. The question may arise: what does Stellantis gain from this? The answer is simple: the Leapmotor T03 is the car customers have been asking for for so long, but no one can deliver. Stellantis is partnering to prevent the Chinese newcomer from beating the incumbent on its own turf. In other words: if you can't beat them, join them.

Conclusion

Aside from being a cheap electric car, is the Leapmotor T03 a good car? Yes, the T03 offers a lot of value for money. There have been noticeable cuts to get to that price, but these are never deal breakers. Moreover, some of the shortcomings found can be solved with software updates.

The Leapmotor T03 is the most ground-breaking car Autozine has tested in a long time. So don't be put off by its design. The T03 is better to drive than similar conventionally powered cars while being more economical to buy and use. Moreover, inside, the T03 is much more mature and modern than its appearance suggests. Its handling is even unusually refined for a small car.

The T03 is not only a groundbreaking product, Leapmotor is a promising brand. In fact, the Chinese newcomer is part of Stellantis and can therefore be bought and serviced from your trusted Vauxhall, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroën or Fiat dealer. This already puts Leapmotor in a stronger position than other new brands.