Leapmotor T03 review

Not a Fiat Panda, is what. No, despite the T03’s happy and uplifting face bearing an uncanny (if awkward) resemblance to the loveable Fiat, this creation is actually the work of Leapmotor; a Chinese brand that’s made astonishing headway in its home market since its launch in 2015 and is now plotting a move into other territories. Including Europe.

The charge is being fronted by two cars: the C10 D-segment SUV, and this, a tiny electric city car barely more than 3.6 metres long. The former makes complete sense: people buy SUVs in their droves. But an e-runabout? There’s a reason things like the VW e-Up, Skoda Citigo-E (profit, or lack thereof) and the Honda e (massively expensive) have quietly shuffled off to the automotive afterlife.

So what gives?

We put this very question (not in those exact words, mind) to Leapmotor International CEO Tianshu Xin, and the answer is very straightforward: Leapmotor thinks mainstream manufacturers have abandoned the city car segment but that the demand for small, simple and cheap cars is still there.

He might be onto something. People are always complaining about how expensive electric cars are, so the arrival of a dirt cheap EV is good news for you, the consumer. Leapmotor has teamed up with Stellantis to make the expansion happen, with production space at its Tychy plant in Poland giving the newcomer a way to sneak around any pesky tariffs. Not to mention access to its established dealer network. How very cunning.

Come on then, how much is it?

The T03 is £15,995, putting it second on the list of the cheapest electric cars available in the UK behind the Dacia Spring. Pedants coughing and spluttering about the Citroen Ami are politely reminded that it is not technically a car.

On paper, the kit list is impressive. You get an eight-inch instrument display and 10.1in touchscreen, a multifunction steering wheel, parking sensors and a reversing camera, a sunroof and various other trinkets. There is no options list, you just gotta choose which paint you want: white, silver or blue.

The Fiat 500 is on par for size, and the new Renault 5 and Mini Cooper Electric both dip under four metres. The Jeep Avenger… doesn’t.

Stuff like the Vauxhall Corsa Electric and Peugeot e-208 strays into supermini territory. A Kia Picanto, Hyundai i10, Suzuki Ignis and Toyota Aygo X can only be had with a combustion engine. Slim pickings.

I bet the range is pants…

Don’t be so hasty. The T03 is fitted with a 37.3kWh battery promising 165 miles of range. Let’s be honest, for its intended audience that’s going to be plenty. Hook it up to a single-phase AC charging unit at home and 6.6kW isn’t too shabby, but on a DC charger – the kind you find at service stations – it maxes out at 48kW.

Tellingly, Leapmotor doesn’t suggest a typical 10-80 per cent top-up time, saying only that 30-80 per cent will take 36 minutes. Now that’s a bit pants… until you consider that it’s basically a match for the 500 and the Spring peaks at way less than that. This has been a PSA from the Top Gear Broadcasting Corporation.

The T03 manages 94bhp and 117lb ft from a single speed motor driving the front wheels. Again, that trumps the Dacia Spring’s 45/65bhp. Zero to 62mph is chalked off in 12.7 seconds; even the springiest Spring can’t manage that. Chalk another one up for the Leapmotor.

Regulation and profitability have shafted e-city cars in the last few years, so Leapmotor bringing a new one to us – no doubt leaning into financial production advantages in China – is a commendable way to introduce itself here. In trying to go green, we’ve been going bigger and heavier when we should be going smaller and lighter. So for that alone the T03 deserves kudos.

It’s no trolley with a roof either: it comes across as well built, the interior is roomy, the drive’s more than adequate for pootling to the shops and it's fairly comfy too.

There’s bags of room for improvement though. The Spring has already shown that cheap cars like this can have character, something the T03 severely lacks. Plus the way the tech has been integrated will put a lot of people off. Please, please stop beeping at us.