Has Leapmotor's boss come up with the perfect EV solution for Australia with the 1000km C10 REEV that could leave other electric cars like Tesla's Model Y stranded?? 

First it was hybrids that were going to replace combustion engine cars, then electric vehicles, and now we’re back to hybrids again it seems.

It is a different kind of hybrid that will be crucial to countries like Australia, according to Leapmotor International’s boss ahead of the brand’s launch of the C10 REEV SUV Down under this year.

Leapmotor International is a joint venture between European auto group Stellantis (which owns Fiat and Peugeot among others) and Chinese car maker Leapmotor. The first global vehicle to come from the joint venture was the C10 electric vehicle which arrived in 2023 and is now available to order in Australia.

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The C10 REEV (Range Extending Electric Vehicle) is expected to have the same electric 158kW motor as the C10 but will also come with a 1.5-litre petrol engine used to charge a 28.4kWh battery, which extends its range up to potentially 1000km. For a country like Australia with poor charging infrastructure and enormous travelling distances this type of electric vehicle could be the perfect solution for the current times.

Speaking to British car publication, Autocar, at the C10 REEV’s Brussels motor show debut recently, Leapmotor International’s CEO Tianshu Xin said the range extending technology is vital for consumers looking beyond regular electric vehicles with limited travelling distances.

“Range anxiety, from a consumer perspective, is still a big challenge,” Xin said. “But the range of the REEV technology will solve this issue."

2025 Leapmotor C10 REEV

The C10 pure electric SUV has a range of only up to 420km, whereas Leapmotor says the C10 REEV will have a range of up to 950km while the petrol engine will have a combined consumption of 0.4L/100km according to the company.

Xin explained that one of the reasons why the uptake of electric cars is waning in Europe and other parts of the world is due to the lack of variety and that a REEV would provide another kind of EV people need. He said the reason EVs have taken off so dramatically in China is down to three crucial factors.

"Why has China's EV market share since August last year overtaken ICE cars? There are several reasons, of course: number one, it's got a well-developed charging infrastructure. Number two is customer acceptance of EVs. They are starting to appreciate EVs and their technologies. Number three – the most important one – is the price parity of NEVs (New Energy Vehicles) and ICE cars was reached in China last year."

2025 Leapmotor C10 REEV

Stellantis Australia has confirmed to CarsGuide the C10 REEV will arrive within the first few months of 2025 and while pricing and specs are yet to be released the list price of the C10 EV starts from $47,500 driveaway.