Leapmotor is launching in Australia in November, and the electric vehicle (EV) brand plans to sell its vehicles predominantly through the Stellantis Australia dealer network.
Stellantis – better known as the global parent of Jeep and Alfa Romeo – invested in Leapmotor in 2023, establishing a joint venture with it earlier this year called Leapmotor International.
This connection will see the mid-sized C10 electric SUV sold alongside Jeeps locally; Stellantis Australia handles distribution of not only the Jeep brand, but also Alfa Romeo and Fiat.
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Leapmotor C10
“I think one of the keys to our brand that does make us very different is the way we’re launching it through our existing Stellantis network and with other proven partners,” said Leapmotor Australia boss Andy Hoang.
“We don’t want to just sell the car and job’s done. The customer is going to have needs after they buy too, and they want to have a place that they trust, they come back to.
“We’re here, we’re local, we’re going to be here, we’ve been around, we’re staying to see this brand that we believe in.”
The company says it will have a dedicated Leapmotor team, as well as dedicated technicians at its dealers. It also intends to use some of the existing processes used at Stellantis Australia dealers.
It’s focusing on metro areas at first, and has tapped MM Brisbane Holdings Pty Ltd – which is part-owned by former BMW Brisbane co-owner Martin Roller and currently sells only Ineos models and used prestige cars – as its sole dealer in Brisbane.
“We have to create that brand awareness, which is always a big job, but because we have established dealers like Martin and we have a network, whereas some of the other new brands coming in don’t have that network,” said Tracie Stoltenburg, Stellantis Australia’s head of corporate communications.
“So that helps as well, when you’re backed by Stellantis. People don’t know Stellantis but when they search they say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s the company that owns Jeep and Alfa Romeo’… So we have a presence, and that’s a little bit of a differentiator from everyone else as well.”
Leapmotor B10
Leapmotor plans to have up to six models in the next three years, though it says it’s aiming for sustainable growth.
“The way we’re approaching it is to make sure that we grow organically and also profitably for the dealers and I think that helps customers too,” said Mr Hoang.
“If you try and go too fast, what will happen is there’ll be distress, and what happens at distress is that people discount, the customer experience falls, and the end person that loses is the customer because the car you bought is worth half what it was 12 months ago.”
It says wait times are minimal, with a vehicle taking around 60 days to get here from China after an order is placed.
Leapmotor C10
Leapmotor’s first model in Australia, due in November, will be the mid-sized C10 electric SUV.
Both C10 variants will be priced below $50,000 before on-road costs, with the base Style ringing up at $45,888 before on-roads.
The C10 uses a 69.9kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and a 160kW/320Nm rear-mounted electric motor developed in-house.
While it’s launching only with an EV, Leapmotor has confirmed it’ll also introduce an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) in 2026.
This features a petrol engine that serves as a generator, instead of powering the wheels directly, allowing for greater driving range.
While Leapmotor wouldn’t be drawn on sales targets, the arrival of the brand in Australia should give Stellantis Australia dealers a shot in the arm in terms of volume – something especially welcome given the downward trend in sales for its volume brand, Jeep, over the past decade.
MORE: Everything Leapmotor C10
