Leapmotor hits 100,000 deliveries — and the B03 is headed to the UK

Leapmotor (零跑, HKEX: 9863) is a Hangzhou-based EV brand founded in 2015 and listed in Hong Kong. Its strategic partner is Stellantis, which took a 20% stake and co-runs the European sales operation — a relationship that gives the brand distribution muscle and financial backing that most Chinese new-force brands lack. In July 2026 Leapmotor reported 101,267 global deliveries, a 102% year-on-year rise that made it the first new-force Chinese EV brand to exceed 100,000 units in a single month. That is not a rounding triumph: it represents a business that has crossed the threshold where fixed costs are genuinely absorbed. The gross margin sits at 15%, self-developed components account for 65% of parts and 88% of vehicle architecture is shared across the line-up — all signs of cost discipline. CATL chairman Robin Zeng personally took delivery of a Leapmotor D99 flagship in August 2026, a supplier-endorsement signal that reads well for battery supply priority. The brand operates across 40 countries with 2,000 dealerships and 18 factories. For UK buyers on the B10, C10 or B05, this is the most positive set of survival indicators Leapmotor has produced to date.

On 11 August 2026 Leapmotor launched the A05, its second model on the A-platform, priced from CNY 63,900 (approximately £7,000) to CNY 90,900. It offers up to 510 km of CLTC range. The A05 targets the entry-level segment that Geely's Xingyuan dominates — an explicit attempt to widen Leapmotor's addressable market before the end of 2026. The A05 is a key vehicle in Leapmotor's stated target of one million deliveries for the full year 2026. Separately, the A10 SUV — launched in China on 26 March 2026 — reached its 100,000th unit in just 135 days, the fastest such milestone in Leapmotor's history. July 2026 alone saw 28,593 A10 deliveries. The A10 carries Qualcomm SA8155 cockpit chip plus SA8650 ADAS chip and LiDAR — hardware not present in any UK-sold Leapmotor. City NOA (full-stack, self-developed) is in development and expected to launch in China by end of 2026. Note the range standard gap: all Chinese figures are CLTC, which typically overstates real-world range by 20–30% versus WLTP.

The most consequential item for UK buyers in this update is the B03 hatchback. As of August 2026, UK RHD production has been confirmed and an early-2027 arrival is expected. The B03 is a compact five-door hatchback at 4,175 mm — shorter than the B10 (4,290 mm) and significantly smaller than the C10 — which will position it below the B05 and give Leapmotor a genuine sub-£25,000 option once pricing is confirmed. Available data from export markets suggests a 53 kWh battery delivering 390 km of WLTP range, with a 30–80% fast charge in 16 minutes. Motor output is listed at 70 kW or 90 kW for China-market variants; export specification is expected to be higher, as is typical for Leapmotor's UK calibration. There is no confirmed UK price yet. At time of writing, the existing B10 (£29,995) and B05 (£28,995) both qualify for the LEAP-GRANT incentive, which expires 30 September 2026 — B03 buyers will not benefit from this offer.

UK buyers are not getting the same Leapmotor as Chinese customers. The gap has widened in 2026. The China-market A10 carries LiDAR, an Orin-derived ADAS chip and full city-driving assistance; the UK B10 has none of these. The A05 enters the Chinese market at a price equivalent to roughly £7,400 — less than a quarter of the B10's UK list price. That differential reflects tariffs, homologation costs, dealer margins and the Stellantis distribution structure, not a margin windfall. The C10 sold in China for 2026 uses an upgraded 800V/74.9 kWh platform; the UK C10 is still on the prior 400V architecture. City NOA is in development for China; no UK date has been announced. None of this is unusual for a Chinese brand in its first years of UK operation, but it is the honest picture and worth knowing before ordering.

Leapmotor's July 2026 numbers are the best argument yet for buying into the brand with confidence. Crossing 100,000 monthly deliveries is a structural milestone; the 15% gross margin and 65% component self-sufficiency mean the business is not burning cash to chase volume. The Stellantis partnership underpins European supply chain resilience. CATL's chairman personally taking a D99 is an unusual but legible signal of supplier trust. Against that, UK buyers should hold the following clearly in mind: the A-platform models launching in China are not coming to the UK in the near term; city NOA has no confirmed UK date; and the B03's UK price — which will determine whether it disrupts the sub-£25k segment — remains unconfirmed. The LEAP-GRANT, which reduces B10 and B05 prices by £1,500, expires 30 September 2026. If you are considering a Leapmotor in the next three months, that deadline is real. If you are waiting for the B03, expect early 2027 and budget accordingly.