Leapmotor C10 EV previewed in Malaysia in RHD form – 218 PS, 69.9 kWh battery, 420 km WLTP range

First shown here in May, and then spotted undergoing road trials last month, the Leapmotor C10 has now been officially previewed in Malaysia, with Stellantis Malaysia showcasing the car in its right-hand drive form to the automotive press ahead of its local launch, which is anticipated to happen sometime in October, in line with its scheduled Q4 market debut.

The all-electric Chinese SUV will be the first Leapmotor (or Ling Pao, its Chinese name, hence the LP logo as seen on the car) model for the Malaysian market. Measuring in at 4,739 mm long, 1,900 mm wide, 1,680 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,825 mm, the D-segment-sized offering will go up against the likes of the Proton X90 and Chery Tiggo 8 Pro when it arrives on the scene, although it is a five-seater compared to the duo. In the EV space, it will compete against models such as the BYD Atto 3 and Proton eMas 7.

Specifications for the local car still haven’t been revealed, but some pointers were at hand during the preview held earlier today. The C10 examples on show were single-motor rear-wheel drive units, and in line with what will be offered for global markets – including Australia – the motor should have 218 PS (160 kW) on tap.

A lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery provides the necessary juice, and while two capacities are available for the domestic market (52.9 kWh and 69.9 kWh), the C10 for Malaysia will utilise the higher capacity 69.9 kWH battery, following the global specification.

As for operating range, based on global specs, the C10 will offer up to 420 km of WLTP-rated travel on a single charge. No indication of what onboard AC charger will be on it (11 or 22 kW), and neither was there any mention of the max DC rate, but the Leapmotor website states that the LFP pack can be juiced up from a 30 to 80% SoC in about 30 minutes via fast charging. More on this when the SUV is launched, hopefully.

While Australia, which just announced the initial specifications of the C10 for its market, will sell the SUV in two variant forms (Style and Design), it looks like we’ll be getting just one trim, and that’s the higher-spec Design, as denoted by the 20-inch alloys (the Style runs on 18-inch units), which on the display units were wrapped with 245/45 profile Dunlop e.Sport Maxx rubbers.

The Design also features Oeko-Tex ‘silicone leather’ seat upholstery (which is said to be liquid resistant and thus “baby-friendly”) and a powered tailgate, as seen on the preview examples today, along with colour options for the interior, as highlighted by the units on show.

Otherwise, common kit across both variants include a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen – with satellite navigation, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (but no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto connectivity) – and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster as well as a dual-zone automatic climate control system.

Standard fit items also include a fixed panoramic glass roof with electric sunshade, a 12-speaker surround sound audio system, heated/ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, ambient interior lighting and a NFC card key, the latter the only key provided for the vehicle. Incidentally, the NFC card has to be placed on the centre console for the vehicle to be started.

It was also indicated that the global version of the C10 will get a Maserati-tuned suspension, unique to export markets. As for safety and driving assistance equipment, the C10 is equipped with seven airbags, a Level 2 ADAS suite offering 16 related functions (although export versions don’t get the Lidar seen on China models) as well as a 360-degree camera. Stellantis said it expects the C10 to receive a five-star Euro NCAP rating soon.

Like previously, Stellantis Malaysia has yet to reveal a price point for the C10, though it has previously been hinted that the upcoming electric SUV will be in the price ballpark “of the most popular EVs currently in Malaysia.” This could well put the Leapmotor up against the likes of the BYD Atto 3 (RM149,800) price-wise, but we’ll find out soon enough.

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