Leapmotor B03X News

Aussie car buyers have plenty of affordable EV choices in Australia. From hatchbacks to city SUVs, there are now several compelling options around the $30,000 mark. The BYD Atto 1 compact SUV became the cheapest new car on sale in Australia, while the Geely EX2 hatchback has had a surging start on the sales charts. Other competitors include the GAC Aion UT hatch and the incoming Leapmotor B03X small SUV, which provide buyers with some further thinking to do. Here is how the four stack up on the numbers. The Atto 1’s $19,990 (drive-away) price tag isn’t just the cheapest on this list, it’s the cheapest new car currently on sale in Australia. This deal does run out in December, when it will revert to $23,990. The premium grade of the Atto 1, which adds a bigger 43kWh battery with 310km WLTP range, starts from $27,990 (before on-road costs), which is on par with its rivals. The B03X starts from $29,990 (drive-away), making it the cheapest small electric SUV in Australia. Geely’s EX2 entered the Australian market in July 2026 at $26,490 (before on-road costs), which pushes the final drive-away price closer to $30,000. GAC’s Aion UT is available from $31,990 (drive-away), but the new Chinese brand will add a cheaper standard range variant in December, 2026. The MG4 Urban hasn’t been included in this list, but the electric hatch is currently available from $29,990 (drive-away) until October 31, courtesy of a $2000 cashback offer. The Aion UT’s single electric motor produces 150kW and 210Nm, edging out the B03X’s 130kW and 200Nm. Geely’s EX2 produces 85kW/150Nm - closely rivalling the Atto 1’s 65kW/175Nm. The EX2 stands out with a rear-wheel-drive configuration, potentially providing an on-road edge over its front-wheel drive rivals. The Aion UT’s 60kWh battery trumps the rest of the competition, offering a driving range of 430km, however, the incoming and cheaper short range Aion UT will only offer 320km from a 44kWh unit. The EX2 has a 35kWh unit with 280km, close to the B03X (292km from 40kWh) and besting the Atto 1 (220km from 30kWh). Inside the cabin, the Aion UT and the Leapmotor B03X have 14.6-inch central touchscreens and 8.8-inch digital drivers displays, but the former boasts synthetic leather seats as standard, instead of fabric. The EX2 also has synthetic leather seats as standard, but a smaller 12.3-inch central touchscreen and 8.0-inch digital driver display. The Atto 1 has a 10.1-inch central touchscreen and 5.0-inch digital driver display, with fabric seats as standard. As an SUV, the B03X has 1325L of storage space, including a 105L storage area under the main boot. The EX2 offers an impressive amount of storage space for a hatch, with 1320L, which includes a 70L front storage space. The Atto 1 still has 1037L, despite being the smallest car in this comparison. The Aion UT provides 689L of total cargo when the rear seats are folded, but this is noticeably less than the rest of the pack. The Atto 1 is the smallest car of the pack, with Aion UT longer than the EX2 and the same length as the B03X. The Aion UT is also the widest of the cars and has the longest wheelbase. The B03X is the only SUV here and is naturally taller than its hatchback rivals. The Atto 1 and EX2 were awarded a five-star Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) safety ratings. The Atto 1 performed well in crash testing, with 82 per cent adult protection and 86 per cent child protection. ANCAP assessed the EX2 using its new ‘Stages of Safety’ criteria. Features like its driving monitoring system and adaptive cruise control guided the EX2 to a 79 per cent safe driving rating. It rated crash avoidance at 72 per cent, and overall crash protection at 86 per cent. The GAC Aion UT also received five stars and performed well in all categories. The Leapmotor B03X remains untested by ANCAP, but it has a suite of active safety features, including auto emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. The Aion UT wins the warranty battle, with an eight-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty for both the car and its high-voltage battery. The EX2 also has a strong warranty guarantee, with seven years/unlimited kilometres for the car and eight years for its high-voltage battery. The Atto 1 and B03X are offered with similar warranties. Both guarantee six years or 150,000km, and an eight-year or 160,000km battery warranty. BYD does further guarantee the Atto 1’s battery will still have at least 70 per cent after eight years. The Atto 1, EX2 and B03X all need to be serviced every 12 months or 20,000km, while the Aion UT is every 12 months or 15,000km.

Leapmotor has priced its BYD electric SUV smasher in Australia.  The Leapmotor B03X small SUV will start from $29,990 drive-away until December 31, 2026, making it the Chinese brand’s cheapest car on sale.  The range-topping ‘Design LR’ grade will start from $33,990 (drive-away). The B03X takes on the busy affordable EV segment. It's priced to compete with the BYD Atto 2 SUV ($31,990, before on-road costs) and the GAC Aion UT hatchback ($31,990, drive-away). It will arrive in showrooms in November 2026.  The base ‘Style’ grade uses a single electric motor producing 130kW, while its more powerful sibling delivers 145kW. Both make 200Nm. This roughly matches the BYD Atto 2 (130kW) and the GAC Aion UT (150kW), but the B03X loses out to these rivals in torque (290Nm and 210Nm, respectively).  Acceleration from 0-100km/h can be as fast as 8.6 seconds, with a top speed of 160km/h.  The entry-level car is equipped with a 39.8kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, offering up to 292km of driving range. The top grade relies on a 53kWh battery that has 382km of range, according to WLTP standards.  With DC fast charging at 133kW, a 30 to 80 per cent charge takes about 16 minutes, but the Style grade can only charge at 100kW, so it will charge more slowly The car can directly power devices and tools using its vehicle-to-load system that can supply 3.3kW.  There is a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and 8.8-inch digital driver display inside, as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  Design LR examples swap fabric seats for synthetic leather ones, while also boasting heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.  Buyers will need to choose the top-spec car for other useful features like a 360-degree camera as well as front parking and side collision sensors.  The base B03X has a six-speaker sound system, but its more expensive sibling has a 12-speaker unit, and rides on 18-inch alloy wheels compared to steel ones.  Leapmotor backs its B03X with a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery.  There is an eight-year capped-priced servicing deal, with intervals every 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first. 

The days of China playing catch-up with the rest of the automotive world are over.  Some of the oldest brands in the car industry are now able to learn from Chinese brands, as they look to become more competitive on price and with the latest generation of electric vehicles. One of the companies at the centre of this new dynamic is Stellantis, the multinational group that combines Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugeot, Citroen, Maserati, Jeep, Opel and more under the one umbrella. Since 2023, Stellantis has had a stake in Chinese brand Leapmotor and has begun selling its vehicles in global markets - including Australia. The initial offering, the C10 SUV, was met with less-than-glowing reviews and since then the two sides of the joint-venture have begun to work more closely together. Stellantis is teaching Leapmotor how to build cars more appealing to European and Australian customers, but Leapmotor is also able to teach its own lessons, too. That’s according to Francesco Giacalone, Leapmotor International Head of Product and Marketing, who said the information and learnings flow both ways between Europe and China. “ For what concern Leapmotor, what we are seeing is that there are, in this moment, more and more interactions in terms of vehicle customisation,” Giacalone said. “So there are Stellantis teams of chassis, dynamic performance that are constantly visiting Leapmotor to help to improve the Leapmotor products for the overseas markets. "They are as a Stellantis team acquiring experience about how Leapmotor develop the products and in concrete terms, helping Leapmotor to be more efficient and fit to the customer in overseas markets. "At the same time, they are learning component by component what can be picked from Leapmotor as let's say low-hanging fruits or a bit more complex to integrate in the Stellantis architecture.” The launch of the more European-focused B05 hatchback and the new B03X compact SUV are signs of the European and Chinese sides of the business working together to shape a more globally friendly offering.  The B05 is due to arrive in Australian showrooms before the end of 2026. Pricing has already been announced, with the all-electric hatchback set to start from $35,990 drive-away for the base car, while the long-range variant will start at $39,990 drive-away. That means it won’t be the cheapest EV on sale in its segment, the GWM Ora 5 starts at just $33,990 drive-away, but it does feature a 160kW/240Nm electric motor, rear-wheel drive layout and the tuning was largely done in Europe with the help of Stellantis - combining the best of both sides of the partnership. While Giacalone didn’t reveal exactly what cars Leapmotor has planned for the Australian market, he did hint at offering cars tailored to our tastes, and even indicated a ute is under investigation. So expect more examples of affordable, European-tuned but Chinese-built cars, like the B05 and B03X to become increasingly common in the coming years.

Two Chinese carmakers have come under fire in Australia for alleged lax cyber security measures and questions over privacy, following investigations from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).  Technology in EVs bring an increased risk of surveillance and privacy breaches and potential hacking, with Four Corners showing how easy it was to allegedly hack a BYD Shark 6. BYD has now responded to the ABC's claims, stating the footage does not conclusively show its vehicles are open to hacking without first gaining physical access to the vehicle. "The footage from the Four Corners report does not provide conclusive evidence that a remote attack vulnerability exists without physical access to the vehicle. Once unrestricted physical access to the vehicle is established the need for passwords diminishes," a spokesperson said. An ABC investigation uncovered that BYD’s privacy policy said data could be collected "in connection with suspected illegal or improper activities" and that this could be done through "surveillance activities". This broad policy gave BYD significant powers to gather data on owners, and how it could disclose information. The carmaker has since removed all references to China and mentions of surveillance. A spokesperson for BYD Australia told CarsGuide privacy policy changes were not made due to the ABC's investigation. "Any inference that the policy was updated in response to the Four Corners investigation is strenuously denied," they said. The company's high-tech credentials mean its vehicles feature lots of camera and other monitoring equipment primarily to improve safety, combined with over-the-air connectivity technology.  BYD cars use a driver monitoring system that includes a camera pointed towards the driver to detect any drowsiness or a lack of attention.  These systems generate substantial amounts of information about those in the car, what they do and the conversations they have.  The Chinese government recently released a raft of new rules to tighten how its carmakers operate in overseas markets. Carmakers are now required to take necessary measures to ensure any data-processing, including collection, use and cross-border transfers must comply with applicable laws.  They must also adhere to personal information protection regulations and safeguard consumer privacy.  This move is designed to improve buyer trust in overseas markets, but there remains concerns about its application.  Australia’s privacy rules allow for data to be transferred to China, so theoretically owner data could be at risk.  BYD’s new policy states in the event of personal data transfers to other countries, it will comply with data protection laws regarding cross-border transfers.  "We haven't and would not transfer any data of Australians to the Chinese authorities," it said.  Companies must still cooperate with authorities when required under national Chinese security rules.  A spokesperson for BYD Australia said the brand cannot be compelled to provide owner information because Australian law governs its operations.  The ABC also published an article on cybersecurity concerns for new EVs.  Cybersecurity expert Dan Hreszczuk was able to remotely access some of a BYD Shark 6’s functions without even needing a password.  Hreszczuk said he unpicked the software programs controlling different functions, and could blast music over the speakers, remotely switch the car’s lights on and off, and operate the wipers, among other things.  “It’s a little bit scary how open … the BYD Shark is to a hacker,” Hreszczuk told the ABC.  A spokesperson for BYD Australia told CarsGuide it was working through its own investigation, and is querying claims made by the ABC. "We are taking full and immediate action in reviewing alleged claims and will respond in detail once we have completed our investigation," they said. They said BYD conducts its own simulated cyberattack testing to assess the effectiveness of protections and identify vulnerabilities. "In current versions of our infotainment system, third-part apps cannot be installed by users, which helps prevent unauthorised software and potential vulnerabilities being installed on the vehicle," they said. It’s not just BYD making headlines over its in-cabin surveillance. Leapmotor cars feature lots of cameras to provide increased vision and safety for owners, in line with many Chinese EVs. The ABC has reported some Leapmotor models use cameras removed from federal government buildings over surveillance concerns. The cameras in question are made by Dahua Technology, and in 2023, many were removed from federal buildings and defence sites. CarsGuide has contacted Leapmotor Australia for comment to find out which models have Dahua cameras installed in them. Leapmotor currently sells its B10 and C10 fully-electric or hybrid range-extender SUVs, and its B05 hatchback in Australia. It will soon introduce the smaller budget-focused B03X designed to rival some of the most affordable EVs on sale in Australia.

Leapmotor could be a sleeping giant on the cusp of a global sales surge despite its slow start in Australia. Unlike its headline-grabbing rivals BYD, Geely, and Chery, Leapmotor has struggled for traction locally. Yet overseas, efforts to make its model range more globally appealing have granted the brand strong growth which, according to sales data compiled by Nikkei Asia, now means it outsold once-giants like Mitsubishi and Subaru in the most recent quarter of the year. Now projected to sell one million vehicles for the full year 2026, the brand is up 84 per cent globally and is set to surpass both Mitsubishi and Subaru over the same time period. Much of this, Nikkei reports, is down to the brand rapidly carving up markets in Europe where both local giants and Japanese imports are struggling to compete with Leapmotor’s aggressive pricing and rapid rollout with the help of Peugeot owner Stellantis, which has a significant stake in the Chinese fledgling. You could hardly tell in Australia, where Leapmotor has hardly had the same impact as its big-name Chinese rivals. Locally it is up an incredible-sounding 168.2 per cent, but its 1022 units so far is off the back of a very low sales base after the misfire of its original C10 electric mid-sizer, and a slow but improved start for the smaller B10. The C10 has moved 331 units in 2026, down 13.1 per cent, paling in comparison to the very similar Geely EX5 which has managed 10,737 units over the same period, and this is despite the introduction of a range-extender hybrid variant to the range. The B10 meanwhile has moved 677 units locally, against the better-selling Jaecoo J5 which has done roughly 10 times that in fully electric form. Leapmotor’s yearly total of just 1022 units (supplemented by the recent addition of early examples of the B05 hatchback), is a far cry from Mitsubishi’s 30,476 total, or Subaru’s 19,125. However, things can change quickly. Not only has the B10 hugely improved Leapmotor’s sales year-on-year, but Mitsubishi, Subaru, and even Nissan are on the way down in the face of Leapmotor’s contemporaries, which are carving up the top-10-selling new car brands in Australia. Subaru and Nissan have already been booted out of the top-10, while Mitsubishi is barely holding on. Leapmotor, meanwhile will be hoping to capitalise on its momentum for the rest of 2026 thanks to the arrival of its B05 Golf-sized hatchback and B03X compact crossover, which is shaping up to be Australia’s most affordable new electric SUV. When it gets here in the fourth quarter, the brand said it will be priced at around $30,000, drive-away, to undercut natural rivals like the BYD Atto 2, which currently costs $31,990, before on-roads. For 2027 the brand could have more up its sleeve too, with the D19 large SUV. Measuring in at over five meters long and featuring a range-extended hybrid powertrain, it also features EV-sized batteries for big electric driving range and combined power output of up to 300kW/520Nm. Stay tuned for more on Leapmotor’s expansion plans as it rolls out the B05 and B03X for the remainder of 2026.

Chinese brand Leapmotor will soon have bragging rights with confirmation that its new small SUV will be the cheapest electric SUV available in Australia. The B03X will kick off from about $30,000 drive-away when it lands in the fourth quarter of this year and it will be offered in two model grades. Full pricing and Australian specification won’t be revealed until closer to launch but this indicative pricing is a warning shot to its mostly Chinese rivals that Leapmotor is about to ramp up. The B03X is slightly shorter in length, but roughly the same width and height as a BYD Atto 2 and Jaecoo J5 EV. Currently the BYD kicks off from $31,990 before on-road costs, while the Jaecoo is $36,990 drive-away. Other potential rivals include the Chery E5 ($37,990 d/a) and the new GWM Ora 5 (from $33,990 d/a), while other small electric SUVs like the MG S6, Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia EV3 all start from in the $40,000 bracket. Leapmotor’s other small SUV, the larger B10, kicks off from $37,888 before on-road costs, leaving plenty of space for the B03X as an entry point to the Stellantis-backed carmaker’s line-up. Buyers might also look at small electric hatchbacks like the Geely EX2, BYD Atto 1 and Dolphin, which all undercut the B03X SUV. From launch the B03X is EV only, but Leapmotor International Vice President Commercial Operations Europe Danilo Annese, told Australian journalists the brand has not ruled developing a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or range extender electric vehicle (REEV) version of the B03X, if there is sufficient global demand. Annese said a number of European countries have requested a hybrid version, adding there were no limitations on the new front-wheel-drive B platform. He said the company could justify the investment if demand came from outside Europe. “Potentially, yes. It's not a measure. We hope that the countries outside Europe will be in the position to justify an investment. This is what we really look forward. If Brazil, if Australia, if Mexico will be on the projected size to justify an investment, why not? “So it does not exclude that we will look into that and try to bring something on a decent timescale. I don't know how long,” he said. Leapmotor offers both battery electric and REEV versions of the C10 mid-size SUV and B10 small SUV, but the incoming B05 hatch is EV only. A further development of the platform is expected with Leapmotor confirming at the B03X launch that it would reveal the international version of the B03 at this year’s Paris motor show in October. Dubbed A05 in China, the B03 is a light b-segment hatchback related to the B03X that will sit under the B05 hatch in its international line-up. However, CarsGuide understands the B03 is unlikely to make it to Australia given the challenges of the light hatch segment.