Leapmotor T03... am I the only one?
Discussion
My first EV. I'm not interested in the politics surrounding EV's, or social media keyboard warriors - each to their own choices in life, and happiness with it.
After a lifetime of fixing old cars, I was realising that I'm less able to do that these days. I think as a motoring enthusiast, as you get on a bit, dependability becomes an attractive element of driving in itself. Sometimes just having something that will quietly go about it's business without drama is delightful in itself.
So I came across this intriguing car - a Leapmotor T03. Lots of research revealed a small car with a big heart. I've always idly thought that if an EV was ever to work for me, it would need to have a reasonable range for my mix of urban and A road motoring, yet £30,000 for a Corsa et la seemed ridiculous. So a small a car with the range of much more expensive cars seemed worth a look. This wasn't just cheap for an EV, but cheap for a new car regardless of motive power.
Motoring press reviews seemed largely positive, software issues aside, which have been largely resolved by an update already - I wonder if the legacy manufacturers would have responded so quickly....a test drive later, the deal was done.
So the car - not a fan of the looks, but that doesn't really matter much. The design is clever - remarkable room inside, and comfortable. Fit and finish very good, leagues ahead of the Dacia Spring, which is tinny and cheap feeling.
Equipment is remarkable if you like that kind of thing - I would happily have done without some of the toys (electric panoramic roof shade in such a small car - really?) but the value is undeniable, with equipment levels that would have shamed a prestige car until recently. As well as the full suite of ADAS stuff (which you can turn off with a button on the wheel...) you even get adaptive cruise control, auto lighting, electric everything else...and whilst I'm not a fan of touch screens, it does at least work well, is good to look at, and has an excellent reversing camera.
To drive, the car is good - not an enthusiast's dream, but you don't buy such a car for that. It's quiet, the ride is much better than expected, it's comfortable, and generally has that trick of driving like a larger car than it is.
I'm already a fan of the electric drive train - silent and refined. It's not Tesla with neck snapping power, but with 95 bhp it's plenty for ever day driving, and isn't outclassed on the open road either, I've already done a couple of long journeys in it.
The main attention from buyers seems to be focussed on the larger SUV's Leapmotor offer, but I hope the T03 does well too - I'm enjoying it so far.
After a lifetime of fixing old cars, I was realising that I'm less able to do that these days. I think as a motoring enthusiast, as you get on a bit, dependability becomes an attractive element of driving in itself. Sometimes just having something that will quietly go about it's business without drama is delightful in itself.
So I came across this intriguing car - a Leapmotor T03. Lots of research revealed a small car with a big heart. I've always idly thought that if an EV was ever to work for me, it would need to have a reasonable range for my mix of urban and A road motoring, yet £30,000 for a Corsa et la seemed ridiculous. So a small a car with the range of much more expensive cars seemed worth a look. This wasn't just cheap for an EV, but cheap for a new car regardless of motive power.
Motoring press reviews seemed largely positive, software issues aside, which have been largely resolved by an update already - I wonder if the legacy manufacturers would have responded so quickly....a test drive later, the deal was done.
So the car - not a fan of the looks, but that doesn't really matter much. The design is clever - remarkable room inside, and comfortable. Fit and finish very good, leagues ahead of the Dacia Spring, which is tinny and cheap feeling.
Equipment is remarkable if you like that kind of thing - I would happily have done without some of the toys (electric panoramic roof shade in such a small car - really?) but the value is undeniable, with equipment levels that would have shamed a prestige car until recently. As well as the full suite of ADAS stuff (which you can turn off with a button on the wheel...) you even get adaptive cruise control, auto lighting, electric everything else...and whilst I'm not a fan of touch screens, it does at least work well, is good to look at, and has an excellent reversing camera.
To drive, the car is good - not an enthusiast's dream, but you don't buy such a car for that. It's quiet, the ride is much better than expected, it's comfortable, and generally has that trick of driving like a larger car than it is.
I'm already a fan of the electric drive train - silent and refined. It's not Tesla with neck snapping power, but with 95 bhp it's plenty for ever day driving, and isn't outclassed on the open road either, I've already done a couple of long journeys in it.
The main attention from buyers seems to be focussed on the larger SUV's Leapmotor offer, but I hope the T03 does well too - I'm enjoying it so far.
Ha ha, not really feeling the love for it in the room... 
No matter, I like it. It's much more capable than the looks would suggest, with the interior a nice surprise - some very well judged material and design choices which means the parts you regularly interact with feel good.
Metal door release levers, column stalks seemingly out of a Mercedes with a quality action, soft fabric panels in the doors to break up the plastics, doors that close with a nice "clumph" instead of a clang, and not a squeak or rattle to be heard. The pantograph wiper is novel and effective too.
I've always valued smoothness and refinement, hence many cars with auto transmission and lots of cylinders for shushing progress. The electric drive train offers something of the same, and the silence when waiting at the lights is delightful.
But because it's quite light for an EV, with a smallish battery pack, it's quite fun to punt down a back road too.
Somebody mentioned yawning - ah yes, the infamous beeps and bongs. Shame they sent out the first cars to the press without properly sorting that, hence the criticisms. But they've quickly sorted that, now you can turn them off with a button press, just like the journalists wanted. But I don't usually bother turning them off - the systems just aren't that much of an issue.
Drive normally, and crucially, indicate before lane changes (now that's a novel idea, who'd have thought?) and lane departure doesn't intervene. The complaints about annoying beeps if you look away from the road for a nano second are absurd - you can look at the speedometer, or the satnav, or side mirrors etc perfectly normally, and the system does nothing. Only if you look away for a prolonged period will it flag up a warning - and why not?
So far, my journey into the world of electrons has been quite interesting - there's some very clever engineering here.
Favourite feature so far? Being able to pre warm the car to defrost it in the morning via the app whilst still in bed...now that's neat!
Next test - can I take it camping? Adventures to come...
No matter, I like it. It's much more capable than the looks would suggest, with the interior a nice surprise - some very well judged material and design choices which means the parts you regularly interact with feel good.
Metal door release levers, column stalks seemingly out of a Mercedes with a quality action, soft fabric panels in the doors to break up the plastics, doors that close with a nice "clumph" instead of a clang, and not a squeak or rattle to be heard. The pantograph wiper is novel and effective too.
I've always valued smoothness and refinement, hence many cars with auto transmission and lots of cylinders for shushing progress. The electric drive train offers something of the same, and the silence when waiting at the lights is delightful.
But because it's quite light for an EV, with a smallish battery pack, it's quite fun to punt down a back road too.
Somebody mentioned yawning - ah yes, the infamous beeps and bongs. Shame they sent out the first cars to the press without properly sorting that, hence the criticisms. But they've quickly sorted that, now you can turn them off with a button press, just like the journalists wanted. But I don't usually bother turning them off - the systems just aren't that much of an issue.
Drive normally, and crucially, indicate before lane changes (now that's a novel idea, who'd have thought?) and lane departure doesn't intervene. The complaints about annoying beeps if you look away from the road for a nano second are absurd - you can look at the speedometer, or the satnav, or side mirrors etc perfectly normally, and the system does nothing. Only if you look away for a prolonged period will it flag up a warning - and why not?
So far, my journey into the world of electrons has been quite interesting - there's some very clever engineering here.
Favourite feature so far? Being able to pre warm the car to defrost it in the morning via the app whilst still in bed...now that's neat!
Next test - can I take it camping? Adventures to come...
Edited by SirGriffin on Wednesday 17th December 23:53
Range officially 165 miles, but it's been poor weather since I got the car, so 145? With regenerative braking some local journeys use hardly any juice at all. I'm averaging 4.6 miles per kWh which I understand is quite good. In better conditions, some owners have managed nearly 200 miles apparently, and some journalists exceeded the official range during testing, something else I took into account during my research.
But I don't really pay that much attention to be honest, I just put electrons in when it needs them.
Costs? How long is a piece of string? A full home charge with a three pin plug on a standard rate (I have no plans to have a home charger fitted) at 24p per kW would cost about £9, but I never let the battery empty that much anyway. Those with special overnight EV rates at 7p per kW would £3-4 for the same thing. And some people with solar panels can charge almost for free - these can be extremely cheap cars to run indeed.
However my charging so far has been using public chargers, much more expensive. Yet with a smallish battery and good efficiency it's still quite cheap to run, provided you avoid the more expensive chargers.
I didn't really buy it with the expectation of cheaper running costs over an ICE car, it's just a car that happens to be electric. You have to factor in whole life costs - running any car is not a cheap exercise these days.
But I don't really pay that much attention to be honest, I just put electrons in when it needs them.
Costs? How long is a piece of string? A full home charge with a three pin plug on a standard rate (I have no plans to have a home charger fitted) at 24p per kW would cost about £9, but I never let the battery empty that much anyway. Those with special overnight EV rates at 7p per kW would £3-4 for the same thing. And some people with solar panels can charge almost for free - these can be extremely cheap cars to run indeed.
However my charging so far has been using public chargers, much more expensive. Yet with a smallish battery and good efficiency it's still quite cheap to run, provided you avoid the more expensive chargers.
I didn't really buy it with the expectation of cheaper running costs over an ICE car, it's just a car that happens to be electric. You have to factor in whole life costs - running any car is not a cheap exercise these days.
Edited by SirGriffin on Thursday 18th December 07:42
sixor8 said:
If you're only using public chargers, the Podpoint app will direct you to the various Tesco sites that charge 44p per kWh. Aldi Podpoint sites are sometimes free (some in Cheshire for example). They are only 7kW rate though. The big companies charge 80p, or more on the motorway, as I expect you've discovered. BP Pulse is another good one.
The Electroverse app, although thought to be tied to Octopus, it isn't. You can register a debit card and use them, they have a very wide network.
ET: 4.6 m / kWh is very good, the lower weight is probably a help. The best my Honda eNy1 has managed is 4, on a warm summers day pootling at 50 mph is. It's down to about 3.4 this time of year. Teslas can average that, apparently.
Yes, I have all those apps. 7kwh slow charging is better for the battery, so I don't mind using them if I'm in a supermarket, like now.The Electroverse app, although thought to be tied to Octopus, it isn't. You can register a debit card and use them, they have a very wide network.
ET: 4.6 m / kWh is very good, the lower weight is probably a help. The best my Honda eNy1 has managed is 4, on a warm summers day pootling at 50 mph is. It's down to about 3.4 this time of year. Teslas can average that, apparently.
Edited by sixor8 on Thursday 18th December 09:11
I can get my favourite charging station for as low as 22p per kWh at times, which is cheaper than home!
MattsCar said:
sixor8 said:
A dealer has a brand new one here for under £14k. Photos shown of all the screens, seems you can turn some of the nanny warnings off too. Not possible on some cars:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202508145...
Sensible sized wheels for a change, 15".
That will be a hard sell, when you can get a brand new Dacia Spring for £12.25k or 13.25k with the most powerful motor.https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202508145...
Sensible sized wheels for a change, 15".
One loud criticism has been the lack of Android Auto/Carplay, can't see the issue about it personally as the built in satnav is fine, and you can Bluetooth your music/phone calls. But, we're told that Android Auto is arriving via an update soon, likely January, for those for whom it's a deal breaker.
trails said:
R5 KDT said:
trails said:
Can't really see the car...
That's probably for the best...https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/leapmotor/t03/365927...
...and I think the inside is quite nicely done.ferret50 said:
I'm considering one of these for 'er indoors, she is not a keen driver and now she's retired her main usage would be pottering to Tesco's and similar places....and we have a few solar panels as well!
I'd recommend taking a look, it's very impressive for the money, not at all the tinny shed you'd imagine.For the nerds, it's quite techie for a small car:
LFP battery
Oil cooled motor
Liquid cooled inverter system
Slightly confusing info on this, but apparently... a liquid cooled battery too.
And I'll give a shout-out for the brakes too, really excellent, much better than my last ICE car.
Edited by SirGriffin on Thursday 18th December 14:05
trails said:
SirGriffin said:
Personally, I think it looks ok for the most part, the front being the worst aspect - I think it's meant to be friendly, but it looks awkward. But, from inside you can't see it... ...and I think the inside is quite nicely done.
It's your car so as long as you are happy with it, my opinion is of no value...Agree with the friendly face, like one of these ...and I think the inside is quite nicely done. it is not quite right from some angles, but from the driver's seat you can't see it...595Heaven said:
There's one near us. Not a fan of the front end design but the rest looks ok for the class of car.
I'm struggling to think of any other hatchback on the market today that doesn't have rear wash wipe though.
Yes, it's a strange omission. But on the other hand, I haven't really missed it, probably due to the excellent reversing camera.I'm struggling to think of any other hatchback on the market today that doesn't have rear wash wipe though.
sixor8 said:
They don't have a heat pump either, so it'll use more energy and take longer to warm it up inside. The one thing my Honda eNy1 could do with.
Yes that's right.It does impact the range if used a lot, but I've experimented and found a level that sets a reasonable compromise between heat and power consumption. And pre heating the car to defrost it in the morning using the app doesn't get old. If you are plugging it in each night it doesn't really matter anyway, you'll have plenty of range.
Yes, I thought it would draw some lively responses!
But you can still find enjoyment in different aspects of motoring - I've had 2 Alfa Romeo's, so I think I qualify as a petrol head.
But in the same way that the reward from driving a Silver Shadow is from the delicacy of the controls, and not destroying apex's with it, there is a subtle pleasure to be had from the inherent refinement of rolling along the road quietly, silently waiting at junctions, and smoothly gliding through busy urban areas with something soothing on the sound system.
Werther's Original entirely optional.
But you can still find enjoyment in different aspects of motoring - I've had 2 Alfa Romeo's, so I think I qualify as a petrol head.
But in the same way that the reward from driving a Silver Shadow is from the delicacy of the controls, and not destroying apex's with it, there is a subtle pleasure to be had from the inherent refinement of rolling along the road quietly, silently waiting at junctions, and smoothly gliding through busy urban areas with something soothing on the sound system.
Werther's Original entirely optional.
Keep us updated, eh?
Well the latest update is er...nothing really. Nothing has broken/fallen off or otherwise failed to function. Which was the whole point of me getting it - it's my first ever new car, after a lifetime of fixing older models.
It's done about 1400 miles in 5 weeks - far more than I expected to do, and all of them quiet and comfortable.
I'm even warming to the looks...
I purchased a set of mats from eBay for it, as the genuine ones are a ridiculous £90 plus from the manufacturer - they'd need to be made of finest cashmere, sewn with gold thread at that price.
I ordered a screen protector for the main screen, as it seemed sensible to protect it from scratches etc, however I managed to break it applying it, so that went well. I haven't got round to ordering another one to try again...
Otherwise, it's a very good little car, that punches well above it's weight in terms of capabilities. I'm already planning a road trip early next year...
Well the latest update is er...nothing really. Nothing has broken/fallen off or otherwise failed to function. Which was the whole point of me getting it - it's my first ever new car, after a lifetime of fixing older models.
It's done about 1400 miles in 5 weeks - far more than I expected to do, and all of them quiet and comfortable.
I'm even warming to the looks...
I purchased a set of mats from eBay for it, as the genuine ones are a ridiculous £90 plus from the manufacturer - they'd need to be made of finest cashmere, sewn with gold thread at that price.
I ordered a screen protector for the main screen, as it seemed sensible to protect it from scratches etc, however I managed to break it applying it, so that went well. I haven't got round to ordering another one to try again...
Otherwise, it's a very good little car, that punches well above it's weight in terms of capabilities. I'm already planning a road trip early next year...
Yes there likely some reais to the Chinese brands.
I'm not blind to the potential issues - if they are to be taken seriously, they really will have to ensure proper backup and service.
There have been been reports of charging issues with some of the Leapmotor's, but mines been fine. The important thing is that the manufacturer has listened, and an ota update is due imminently to resolve it. A recent update already sorted previous issues with the ADAS suite. This is the kind of response often lacking with the European brands, who must be quaking in their boots.
I'm not blind to the potential issues - if they are to be taken seriously, they really will have to ensure proper backup and service.
There have been been reports of charging issues with some of the Leapmotor's, but mines been fine. The important thing is that the manufacturer has listened, and an ota update is due imminently to resolve it. A recent update already sorted previous issues with the ADAS suite. This is the kind of response often lacking with the European brands, who must be quaking in their boots.
crofty1984 said:
SirGriffin said:
Not when you consider the better finish and equipment levels. Just watch the numerous YouTube videos of them shutting the doors on both cars to see the difference...and the Spring got 1 star crash rating. In fairness though, the T03 hasn't yet been tested by NCAP.
One loud criticism has been the lack of Android Auto/Carplay, can't see the issue about it personally as the built in satnav is fine, and you can Bluetooth your music/phone calls. But, we're told that Android Auto is arriving via an update soon, likely January, for those for whom it's a deal breaker.
That would totally be a deal breaker for me, I've even retrofitted it into my 40 year old Lotus! One loud criticism has been the lack of Android Auto/Carplay, can't see the issue about it personally as the built in satnav is fine, and you can Bluetooth your music/phone calls. But, we're told that Android Auto is arriving via an update soon, likely January, for those for whom it's a deal breaker.
I think something like this would really suit my parents for their next car.
I had an e-golf for a while and think EV works for a lot of people.
An update!
I have finally achieved my efficiency goal, and am currently achieving 5.1 pkwh! Woo!
Now repeat after me class: " nothing has broken or fallen off..."
Next bit of exciting news - apparently there's an OTA update on the horizon, to fix things that I haven't had any problems with, but others have apparently. I've never felt so techy in my life...
I have finally achieved my efficiency goal, and am currently achieving 5.1 pkwh! Woo!
Now repeat after me class: " nothing has broken or fallen off..."
Next bit of exciting news - apparently there's an OTA update on the horizon, to fix things that I haven't had any problems with, but others have apparently. I've never felt so techy in my life...
Forget the Porches, BMW'S etc on this site, this is the update you're all waiting for!
Er...I had to put air in a tyre. That's it.
Now repeat after me, class: " nothing else has broken or fallen off."
I went for a weekend away and it handled the long trip really well, except the adaptive cruise control, which is a bit rubbish, however that's a well documented issue and you can switch it to standard cruise control, so we'll forgive that.
Still motoring on...whoosh!
Er...I had to put air in a tyre. That's it.
Now repeat after me, class: " nothing else has broken or fallen off."
I went for a weekend away and it handled the long trip really well, except the adaptive cruise control, which is a bit rubbish, however that's a well documented issue and you can switch it to standard cruise control, so we'll forgive that.
Still motoring on...whoosh!
Konan said:
SirGriffin said:
Now repeat after me, class: " nothing else has broken or fallen off."
As much as I get that your keen to head off the immediate 'Chinese tat' comments, maybe set the bar a little higher than one month before being pleased a brand new car is proving reliable.ferret50 said:
Can we talk about charging the wee beastie?
Where on the car is the charging point?
Will it charge from a 13A socket?
Thanks in advance, OP.
The charging point is at the front.Where on the car is the charging point?
Will it charge from a 13A socket?
Thanks in advance, OP.
Yes you can charge using a 3 pin socket, a cable is included. I've never done it.
Car also accepts type 2 AC charging at a max rate of 7 kWh, which is what I do most charging with, or faster DC charging at a max of 50 kWh. That's not as fast as other EV's, but the battery is smaller, so it's still fairly reasonable - a 30-80% fast charge will take about 35 min, slightly longer if it's very cold like now as it will warm the battery first.
Dog Biscuit said:
Why can't they make a small cheap ev that doesn't look all cutesy w
ky?
The best looking one is the Hyundai Inster but it's not 'cheap' cheap
I'm not a huge fan of the looks myself, but I got the car more for it's abilities rather than looks. They grow on you after a while anyway.ky?The best looking one is the Hyundai Inster but it's not 'cheap' cheap
There's an Inster lives near me, I don't rate the looks myself, but they do seem very practically designed. Much more expensive though. (:
Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff