2025 Leapmotor C10 electric SUV to undercut chart-topping Tesla Model Y

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Chinese car maker Leapmotor is aiming to establish a competitive presence in Australia's electric car market with the incoming 2025 C10 electric SUV positioned more affordably than the segment-leading Tesla Model Y and other rivals from big-name brands.

While official prices are yet to be confirmed, a spokesperson for Stellantis – the global parent company that partially owns Leapmotor – told Drive the C10, in both Style and Design variants, will be priced under $50,000 before on-road costs.  

The C10's sub-$50,000 starting price undercuts the Tesla Model Y – priced from $55,900 – as well as other popular electric family SUVs like the Toyota bZ4x (from $66,000) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (from $69,800).

This brings the C10’s price in line with other incoming Tesla rivals such as the Kia EV5 (rumoured to cost less than $60,000), and Xpeng’s G6 SUV (with starting drive-away prices estimated below $60,000).

Both variants of the Leapmotor C10 are equipped with a 160kW electric motor that sends power to the SUV's rear wheels.

The Chinese car maker claims the C10 electric SUV has a maximum driving range of 420km in European WLTP testing, with a 30-to-80-per-cent fast charge taking approximately 30 minutes.

Despite an onslaught of other manufacturers looking to create a foothold in the domestic electric car market, Matt Lei – Leapmotor's Vice President of International Operations – said the car maker has no specific brand rival besides petrol and diesel-powered cars.  

"New energy vehicles in Australia are still starting, so the total market share for BEV [battery electric vehicles] is still very, very limited," Lei told Australian media.

"So, we will not say we're competing with any other BEV players in the market. We joined hands together; we want to sell more [BEVs] to benefit the whole society. That is our vision. So that's why I'm saying there are no competitors for us.

"If you still want me to say, to point at somebody saying ‘this is your competitor’, I'll tell you ICE [internal combustion engine] vehicles are our competitors, not any of the BEV competitors," Lei added.

When asked where Leapmotor sees its position amongst other incoming and already established brands, Lei said the Chinese car maker is more concerned with establishing a solid customer relationship rather than defining its rank within the Australian electric car market.

"I said that the [market] position is excellence within reach… we want to do everything beyond the customer’s expectations so that the definition of excellence within reach is something that most of the consumers [can] access," he said.

"We believe that by offering products and services they will enjoy [that goes] beyond the customer’s expectations, they start to recognise this brand and ultimately trust this brand."

Lei said Leapmotor is looking for that upmarket appeal through the customer experience, not the traditional definition of premium generally associated with luxury brands.

"I think that the definition of premium [and] my definition is a little different," Lei told media.

"We are offering something more than the customers are expecting so they feel premium, this is the message we want to deliver. So, it's not saying that the traditional [idea of] premium of BMW, of Mercedes."

The 2025 Leapmotor C10 electric SUV is expected to arrive in Australian showrooms in Q4 of 2024, with a Stellantis spokesperson confirming the brand is aiming to establish a dealership network in the country.

"We will have a dealership presence across Australia, so [we’re] looking to have a dealership presence in each one of the [Australian] states and that will be announced towards the end of October," a Stellantis spokesperson told Drive.

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