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Leapmotor C10 review (UK): Stellantis backing, 5-star safety, and a missing 800V — same price for BEV or REEV 中国
Leapmotor is the Chinese start-up you've probably never heard of — but Stellantis owns 21% and handles European distribution through 70+ UK dealers. The C10 is priced £36,500 (BEV and REEV at the same price, £32,750 with LEAP-GRANT). But there's a catch: the UK model gets an older 69.9 kWh/400V battery system, while Chinese 2026款 owners get 74.9 kWh/800V. And there's no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.
Kai Zhang · Editor-in-Chief · Updated 20 Jun 2026Who actually makes it?
Leapmotor (零跑汽车) — founded 2015, listed on HKEX. Stellantis N.V. owns 21% stake and formed a 51/49 JV (Leapmotor International) for European distribution. UK sales through 70+ Stellantis dealers. This is a real point of difference: other Chinese start-ups enter the UK alone; Leapmotor enters through an established European automotive group with parts, service, and dealer infrastructure. Parent survival risk: Medium-Low (Stellantis backing is real, but Leapmotor is still loss-making).
What the 零跑C10 actually is in China
零跑C10 2026款: ¥12.28万–¥14.98万 (~£13,300–£16,200). Autohome 4.49/5.0 (1,048 ratings). Praise: rear space (318 mentions), seat comfort (303), acceleration (266). Criticisms: tyre noise (155), range (100). 车质网 2.8/5.0 — 110 quality + 89 service issues. Dominant quality issues: AC spraying white powder, infotainment crashes, chassis noise, tyre failures, AEB failures. Dongchedi: generally positive 4.0–4.5, universally praised for value-for-money. Common gripe: real-world range 5-7折 of CLTC.
China vs UK — the downgrade
UK BEV gets 69.9 kWh LFP / 400V / 160 kW motor / 84 kW DC — China 2026款 gets 74.9 kWh LFP / 800V / 220 kW motor / ~190 kW DC, 5.9s 0-100 (vs UK 7.5s). UK 30-80% in ~30 min, China ~16 min. UK simply gets an older-spec car. The UK REEV (28.4 kWh + 1.5L range extender, 602 mi combined WLTP, 94 mi EV-only) is unique — China doesn't offer the same configuration. UK has NO Apple CarPlay/Android Auto (a Stellantis decision — note: Stellantis removed CarPlay from its own cars too). UK price ~2.7× China.
The UK essentials
One trim for each powertrain: BEV £36,500 (69.9 kWh LFP, 263 mi WLTP, 160 kW, 0-62 7.5s) and REEV £36,500 (28.4 kWh + 1.5L, 94 mi EV / 602 mi combined). LEAP-GRANT reduces to £32,750. DC: 84 kW (slow). Euro NCAP 5★ (2024): 89/85/77/76%. Warranty: 4yr/60,000 mi (short — segment norm is 7yr) + 8yr/100k mi battery. Insurance group 40-41 (high). No CarPlay/Android Auto.
Honest pros & cons
Pros: Stellantis distribution (real dealer network — 70+ UK sites), same price for BEV and REEV, REEV 602 mi range solves range anxiety, 5-star Euro NCAP, competitive £32,750 LEAP-GRANT price, comfortable rear space. Cons: UK gets older-generation battery/charger (69.9 kWh 400V vs China's 74.9 kWh 800V), no CarPlay/Android Auto, 84 kW DC is very slow, 4-year warranty (segment norm 7), unsettled ride on UK roads per reviewers, insurance group 40-41 is high, 车质网 AC white powder and AEB issues raise build quality questions.
How we verify:AI-assisted research gathers Chinese owner reviews & pricing → a person checks high-stakes facts (UK price, range, warranty, safety) → Kai Zhang signs off before publish. Anything still unchecked is labelled.
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