August 10 is the day. Leapmotor is officially launching the A05 in China. You know it as the B03 elsewhere. It’s a compact electric sedan, and it’s already open for blind orders. If you’re tracking the price war in China’s EV sector, this one matters.
The A05 isn’t just a placeholder. It follows the momentum of the A10. And that model? It drove nearly 30% of Leapmotor July sales. The company crossed 100,000 vehicles sold that month. Third place in China’s new energy market. Behind BYD and Geely. Only. Leapmotor is a decade-old startup. It’s growing fast. Too fast for its larger competitors to ignore.
Why the B03 Exists
Leapmotor sees a gap. The A10 is small. But the B03 is smaller. It targets the ultra-compact segment directly. Think BYD Dolphin. Think Chery QQ. Leapmotor wants to kill these rivals. Not just compete. Kill.
The B03 shares design DNA with the A-series. Enclosed grille. Headlights that look like they’re smiling. Tail lights that look like they’re laughing. It’s playful. But the dimensions tell the real story.
Length: 4,200 mm.
Width: 1,800 mm.
Height: 1,560 mm.
Wheelbase: 2,605 mm.
Compare that to the A10. 4,270 mm long. 1,810 mm wide. Same wheelbase. The B03 is tighter. More agile. Built for city streets where parking is a nightmare.
What’s Inside the B03?
You get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chipset. That’s high-end hardware for this class. An 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster. A 14.6-inch central touchscreen. Twenty-five six colors of ambient lighting. A 12-speaker sound system. It feels over-engineered for a sub-$20,000 car. Maybe that’s the point.
The seats are the star. Leapmotor calls them “7-layer Cloud-Feel.” Four modes. Nap. Recline. “Big bed.” Pet mode. Fold the second-row cushions up. Use the independent tables. Sleep. Watch a movie. Take the dog for a drive.
Storage? Thirty-three spots. Standard trunk: 474 liters. Fold the seats. Expand to 1,308 liters. Plus a 91-liter sunken storage bay. That’s not an afterthought. That’s practical design.
You can even mount DIY accessories. Aromatic lights. Emergency window breakers. Plush toy brackets. It’s personalized. It’s fun. It’s rare for budget EVs.
Powertrain and Range
Two motor options. Base: 70 kW. High-end: 90 kW. In horsepower, that’s 94 hp and 121 hp. Range under CLTC standards: 405 km or 510 km. High-tier models get an option for LiDAR. Yes. In a car this size. Why not?
The CLTC standard is optimistic. Real-world range will drop. But 405 km is enough for most commutes. 510 km? That’s highway ready. Leapmotor isn’t cutting corners on the battery here.
Who Is the B03 For?
The international name B03 suggests it might replace the T03. The T03 sold well. The B03 aims higher. Better tech. More space. Stronger brand presence. Leapmotor wants this car to be the Xingyuan (Geely EX3) killer. But it’s aiming higher than just one model.
The Chinese market is brutal. BYD dominates. Geely Galaxy is rising. Leapmotor is third. It needs volume. The A10 helped. Now the B03 takes the load. Compact. Efficient. Tech-heavy. Affordable. That’s the formula.
The Real Question
Can a startup beat legacy automakers in their own game? Leapmotor says yes. The A05 proves it. The sales numbers back it up. The tech specs compete with premium brands. The price undercuts everyone else.
The B03 arrives August 10. Orders are open. Will it disrupt the segment? Or just add noise to a crowded room?
Look at the wheelbase. Same as the A10. But half the footprint. That’s efficiency. That’s smart packaging. Leapmotor isn’t just selling cars. They’re selling solutions. Tiny. Efficient. Smart.
Maybe that’s enough.
For now, the market is waiting.
