Leapmotor C10 News

Leapmotor has responded to alleged camera security risks in its cars in Australia.  An ABC Four Corners report revealed Leapmotor vehicles use Dahua cameras, which were removed from Australian federal and defence sites in 2023 and 2025 Cameras are a key component of the tech-focused electric car brands such as Leapmotor. They provide more visibility and greater safety for drivers, including features like a 360-degree view camera and are critical in the push for self-driving cars. Former national cybersecurity advisor Alastair MacGibbon told the ABC electric car microphones and cameras are an ideal surveillance device.  A spokesperson for Stellantis Australia, parent company of Leapmotor, confirmed to CarsGuide Dahua cameras are fitted in Leapmotor vehicles. They said the brand takes cybersecurity, customer privacy and data protection seriously. Dahua cameras fitted in Leapmotor vehicles are used exclusively to support functionality and safety related features. “The system is not designed to record or store footage as part of its normal operation, nor is it designed to upload camera data to the cloud or transmit it to third parties,” a Stellantis Australia spokesperson said. “Any video recording functionality is customer controlled, and storage requires the use of an external USB device.” Leapmotor vehicles undergo independent cybersecurity assessment and certification, according to the brand. In February 2023 an audit found more than 900 surveillance camera units built by Chinese government-linked companies Hikvision and Dahua were being used in government workplaces. The government said it removed these security cameras due to national security concerns because Dahua is partially owned by the Chinese government and has ties to intelligence laws.  The United States and United Kingdom also moved to remove Dahua cameras from its key government infrastructure. 

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.

Leapmotor’s C10 is set to get a big update in 2027 that could help reverse the electric SUV’s fortunes in Australia. The C10 was Leapmotor’s first model to go global beyond China but it has struggled to gain traction in Australia in the face of intense competition. A key Leapmotor executive said an update was coming early next year. “Of course, there might be an evolution of C10 coming in the beginning of next year. I don't know necessarily in Australia, but this is what we are currently discussing.” That’s the word from Danilo Annese, Vice President Commercial Operations Europe Leapmotor International. When asked to clarify what he meant by “evolution”, he confirmed it was not a new-generation car, but rather the update would introduce new hardware and software. “The full model change is something for later on,” he said. “There is a piece of hardware, and of course, software comes with that piece of hardware. But it's not, I don't expect MCA (mid-cycle action) or big facelifts.” Annese did not detail what the changes were, but it could be an update to finally include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in the C10. Leapmotor made the decision to offer the C10 from launch without CarPlay or Android Auto as it wanted to highlight its own native multimedia setup. This is something Tesla has done for years. The Stellantis-backed carmaker has since changed tack, offering Apple and Android connectivity on new models launched since the C10 like the B10 small SUV, upcoming B05 electric hatchback and the forthcoming B03X electric compact SUV. The C10 was just updated in China in June, with Leapmotor rolling out a tweaked look with a new ‘Sky Light’ headlight design, refreshed grille and new colour scheme inside, as well as a tech update including a 60-inch head-up display, 17.3 inch multimedia display and a Qualcomm 8295P cockpit chip as well as another chip for full navigation assistance. It’s unclear if this is the same update that will roll out to global markets in the New Year. The C10 - offered as an EV and a range-extender electric vehicle (REEV) - has failed to make an impact in Australia since its launch, while other newer Chinese brands have had greater success in the medium SUV segment. To the end of August this year, Leapmotor has shifted just 331 examples of the C10, which is a 13 per cent drop over the same period last year. It is one of the slowest selling vehicles in the segment, only outselling the KGM (formerly SsangYong) Actyon, Peugeot 3008 and Skoda Karoq so far this year. Contrast that with rival Geely which has sold 10,737 EX5 EVs and a further 6669 Starray plug-in hybrids in the same period. As well as the lack of Apple and Android connectivity, the C10 has faced criticism relating to its on-road performance. Clumsy tech, poor ride and handing, poorly calibrated throttle response and overly intrusive advanced driver assistance systems are just some of the complaints. CarsGuide contributing journalist Andrew Chesterton lived with a C10 REEV for as a long-term press loan and discovered many of these issues. Whether this coming update addresses any of those key issues remains to be seen. The C10 did not benefit from the same level of scrutiny as subsequent models. Leapmotor International parent company Stellantis launched the C10 soon after setting up the deal with Leapmotor China, without making significant changes to help it perform better on roads outside of China. However, reviewers noted a big improvement with newer models like the B10 and B05, both of which have had engineering input from Stellantis HQ.

The Leapmotor C10 Long-Range electric family SUV has just been given a serious overhaul in Australia as it looks to hunt down the Geely EX5 in Australia.  The 'Design' grade will continue to be priced from $49,888 (before on-road costs), sitting at the top of the standard C10 range.  The C10 has undergone some big changes in Australia, including the addition of the special edition performance variant targeting Tesla Model Y. It comes after the C10 was updated in China to receive a redesigned exterior and cabin, including elements like a panoramic head-up display and 17.3-inch central touchscreen. These updates are not included as part of the model year improvements for the Design grade in Australia. A spokesperson for Leapmotor Australia confirmed this more significant update was only for the Chinese market, for the time being. The main change for the updated Australian C10 is the addition of a bigger 82kWh battery, boosting driving range to 510km, according to WLTP standards.  This is a step up on the rest of the standard C10 range, with its 70kWh battery offering 425km.  This is the same battery as what is found in the special edition AWD variant of the C10, starting from $53,888.  It is also now able to charge at 180kW via DC fast charging, with a 30 to 80 per cent juice-up taking roughly 22 minutes, courtesy of an 800-volt platform.  Its electric motor set-up has also received a tweak, with power increased to 220kW from 160kW, while torque is now at 360Nm from 320Nm.  The sprint from 0 to 100km/h now only takes 6.2 seconds.  The car now also rides on Yokohama sport tires to improve handling and grip, with two entry key cards coming as standard instead of one as was previously the case.  Interior options now include a ‘Camel’ brown interior as well as a black colour. The C10’s main competitos is Geely’s EX5 (starting from $41,990), which has experienced a strong sales run in 2026 and was the third best-selling EV for May in Australia.  The EX5 is cheaper than this updated C10, but the latter has a better driving range than Geely’s example as well as better performance.  The C10 will also tackle the BYD Sealion 7 (starting from $54,990) and rivals from more traditional brands like the Kia EV5 (starting from $56,770).  It continues to be available in range-extender hybrid and fully-electric set-ups.

A key affordable electric and range-extender hybrid family SUV has been given a refresh in China, and it could be headed to Australia next. The Leapmotor C10 has undergone noticeable design changes, with a generally boxier overall shape and an additional 10mm in length. There have been more changes inside the cabin. The C10 now gets a panoramic head-up display spanning the length of the dashboard. To accommodate a bigger 17.3-inch central touchscreen, there is a now a smaller 8.8-inch digital driver display now. The car has also gained more speakers for its audio system as well as heated, ventilated and massaging front seats. The C10 will continue to be available in range-extender and fully-electric set-ups, both of which are on sale in Australia. It appears there won’t be any changes to the performance of these models. The range-extender hybrid has a 1.5-litre petrol engine to charge the battery, and an electric motor producing 158kW and 320Nm. EV versions have an electric motor producing 160kW and 221Nm. It is unclear whether this update will see the car increase in price. The range-extender currently starts from $43,888 (before on-road costs), while the EV starts from $45,888. The C10 competes against the BYD Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid and Sealion 7 EV. The brand just announced a range-extender version of the smaller B10 SUV would join its Australian lineup. The B10 range-extender was priced the same as its fully-electric sibling, so could be the same deal with the updated C10 when it gets here. Earlier this year, Leapmotor brought across a special edition high performance variant of the C10, boosting power and torque to 440kW and 760Nm. It was the first C10 to feature an all-wheel drive, but it doesn’t look like the updated base model will have the system available. The new C10 will launch in China later this month, more information from an Australian perspective likely to come later on in 2026.

Leapmotor has performed a welcome about-face on its controversial keyless entry system, with the brand to introduce physial keys on all future models.

Leapmotor has unveiled its special edition C10 Sports+ all-electric mid-size SUV, which will shake up the performance EV space.  It will be priced from $53,888 (before on-road costs), which is $4000 more than the previous top-spec model.  Unlike the rest of the C10 range, the car comes with all-wheel drive, while all other C10s have rear-wheel drive.  The main change on this special edition C10 is the addition of a serious power upgrade, with its dual motor set-up producing 440kW and 760Nm, shifting the car from 0-100km/h in four seconds. This is substantially more power than the standard C10, which produces 160kW and 320Nm.  These figures mean the C10 has a similar power output to the range-topping Tesla Model Y Performance, with a starting price of nearly $90,000. It is also cheaper than the most affordable rear-wheel drive variant of the Model Y . The car has been given a bigger 81.9kWh Lithium-Ferro-Phosphate (LFP) battery, offering a driving range of up to 437km, according to WLTP testing. This is only a slight improvement on the standard car (425km) due to the extra weight and increased power of the dual motor set-up.  This version of the C10 is built on a new 800-volt platform, allowing for DC charging at 180kW. It can recharge from 30-80 per cent in 22 minutes.  The C10 appears better value on paper compared to pricier key rivals such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV5 and Zeekr 7X. On the inside, the car has a 14.6-inch central touchscreen and 10.25-inch digital driver display, along with synthetic leather seats. Other interior features on the special edition C10 include a panoramic glass roof, as well as electrically adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats.  It gets some cosmetic changes as well, like ‘Sports+’ branded cabin mats, rear badging and side decals.  The C10 Sports+ Special Edition will arrive in showrooms next month. 

China’s Leapmotor has rolled out another software update for its C10 battery electric (BEV) and range-extender (REEV) mid-size SUV.

Chinese carmaker Leapmotor has teased us with a hint of its sleek, small electric hatch the B05 ahead of its upcoming Munich motor show debut.