‘We’ll be Curry’s of Chinese cars’ says boss of EV firm ‘no-one’s heard of’ but sells cars ‘like Vauxhall for MUCH less’

YOU walk into Currys to buy a Samsung and walk out with a ­WingWang.

Because you realise it does the same thing for much less money.

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Leapmotor has just landed at 44 UK dealers and wants 80 by the end of the year[/caption]

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Boss Damien Dally is positioning Leapmotor as the best-value EV brand in the UK[/caption]

It shows the same football match.

You walk into a Vauxhall dealer to buy a Vauxhall and walk out with a Leapmotor.

Because you realise it does the same thing for much less money.

It takes you, and your family, with the same amount of luggage, to visit the same aunt.

That’s what Leapmotor boss Damien Dally is banking on and he may well be right.

The dinky T01 is £199 a month with £199 deposit. Punchy.

Dally said: “You’re close to bus fare money to run an electric car.”

The big-daddy C10 is £399 a month with £399 deposit.

One fully loaded version.

Just pick a colour. Leapmotor has just landed at 44 UK dealers and wants 80 by the end of the year.

Then it’ll be in more places than Fiat.

T03 and C10 are just the start. Four other models will follow in the next 18 months.

Now we need to have a grown-up conversation about Chinese car makers invading Britain because they’re coming thick and fast.

MG is Chinese-owned, and sold 81,000 cars here last year.
BYD is growing rapidly.

Jaecoo, XPeng, Skywell, GAC, Omoda, Nio, IM, Haval, Denza and other weird names we’ve never heard of, are on the way.

Some will flourish.

Some will do a Daewoo and sink without trace.

Leap­motor has the jump on most of them because the international arm of the business is co-owned by ­Stellantis.

So it can plug straight into a long-standing dealer network that sells other Stellantis brands — Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat, Jeep, Alfa Romeo and more.

Dally said: “No one’s heard of Leapmotor, but everyone’s heard of Vauxhall, Peugeot and Citroen.

“It’s almost like walking into ­Currys and looking at a TV and you’re going, ‘Well, I haven’t heard of this brand, but it’s part of a family I know, so OK, fine, fantastic’.

Buyers will have peace of mind with a dealer they have known for years, combined with our four-year warranty on a four-year PCP, and it’s backed by the world’s fourth largest automaker.

“Other Chinese brands can’t give that assurance.”

Dally insists Leapmotor is not trying to compete with Dacia, even though the T03 is quite cheap.

He said: “We’re positioning Leapmotor as the best-value EV brand in the UK, backed up by the highest level of tech and spec.

“Dacia owns the idea of being the most affordable, lowest price.

“We want to be best-value.

“Not necessarily the cheapest, but included in that price is an amazing level of technology and specification as ­standard.

“The cheapest option is OK. We’ve all flown Ryan­air.

“But it’s not the best.”

Dally’s job is going to be doubly difficult trying to convince reluctant drivers to switch to electric.

He said: “Most people want to do the right thing.

“We separate our recyclables and opt for sustainable things.

“We mocked people for this 20 years ago, but they were ahead of the time.

“Probably most people who want to replace their car are thinking, ‘What do I do? Do I want electric?’.

“We are giving them peace of mind and there’s no need to ­compromise.

“All they need to get their head around is a new brand name.

“We are arriving at a good time.”

The logo looks pretty cool.

That’s a good start.

LEAPMOTOR C10

I’LL be straight with you.

The C10 isn’t a car for car people.

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The C10’s Tesla-like cabin has a big central brain carrying loads of technology[/caption]

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The C10 has a nice, spacious cabin, sizeable boot and a five-star safety rating[/caption]

It’s a car to get Mr and Mrs Sensible from A to B.

Inoffensive to look at with a nice, spacious cabin, sizeable boot and a five-star safety rating.

But exciting? No, thank you. That’s for other people.

Range and recharging times are average at best, but progress is smooth and easy when you do have enough juice.

Time will tell if it’s reliable. It looks like it will be.

The Tesla-like cabin has a big central brain carrying loads of technology.

Over-the-air software updates will keep things fresh.

Heated and ventilated seats, glass roof, 360-degree cameras, 12-speaker sound system – they all come as standard.

LEAPMOTOR T03

WE tried this micro EV last year and it was fine.

Except for the rubbish tyres.

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The T03 is well-equipped and well-priced but has rubbish tyres[/caption]

So if you do buy one, make sure it rolls on Continentals or similar that actually grip the road.

T03 isn’t cute, like Fiat 500 cute. But it is well-equipped and well-priced.

It’s actually the second cheapest electric car on sale today after the £14,995 Dacia Spring.

Only the T03 has more oomph and a bigger battery. So it goes a bit further and recharges a bit quicker.

And it’s got everything all-in: reversing camera, satnav, adaptive cruise control, glass roof with electric shade, heated wing mirrors, LED lights, 15in alloys and all the anti-crash tech the law now demands.

You have to spend £17k to get a Spring with a 10in multimedia screen.

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