Leapmotor B05: the Chinese compact car that arrives with rear-wheel drive and slashes prices

There are arrivals that don't go unnoticed. The Leapmotor B05 is one of them. Imagine a 4.43 m compact electric vehicle with rear-wheel drive, capable of doing 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds… and priced from just 25,400 €. On paper, it looks like a provocation. In reality, it's the new weapon of the Sino-European duo Leapmotor-Stellantis to shake up the electric C-segment. And let's be clear right away: the competition has reason to worry.

A young brand, a powerful patron

Leapmotor might not ring a bell, and that's normal. The brand was born in December 2015 in Hangzhou, founded by Zhu Jiangming and Fu Liquan, two co-founders of Dahua Technology, a Chinese video surveillance giant. The name "leap" evokes the leap towards electrification — quite a program. First car sold in 2019, and already an in-house philosophy: develop everything internally, from components to software.

The decisive turning point came on October 26, 2023, when Stellantis announced an investment of around 1.5 billion euros to become the reference shareholder of the manufacturer, with a stake of around 20%. In the process, Leapmotor International was born, a joint venture held 51% by Stellantis and 49% by Leapmotor, which holds exclusive rights to sell and manufacture Leapmotor products outside China. Concretely, this structure offers the Chinese brand a ready-to-use European distribution network, backed by Stellantis. Enough to make a name for itself without starting from scratch.

The B05, fourth musketeer of Europe

After the T03, C10 and the compact SUV B10, the B05 is the fourth Leapmotor model designed for Europe. The sedan was unveiled at the Munich Motor Show in 2025, before being shown again in a more refined version at the Brussels Motor Show in January 2026. Orders were officially opened in France in May 2026.

And here's the surprise: Leapmotor didn't go for a timid city car. The B05 is a 4.43 m long, 1.88 m wide and 1.52 m tall hatchback compact, with an XXL wheelbase of 2.74 m. Result: first-class roominess for the category… at the cost of a somewhat modest 345-liter boot under the shelf. You can't have it all.

Style-wise, the brand embraces the "sporty" register: frameless doors like a coupe, flush handles, 19-inch wheels from the base model, three-bar light signature and a light band running across the rear. The aerodynamic work is serious, with a drag coefficient of 0.26 achieved notably thanks to an active grille shutter.

Rear-wheel drive and two batteries on offer

Here's the detail that makes driving enthusiasts smile: the B05 is rear-wheel drive. At this price point, it's become extremely rare. The engine, mounted on the rear axle, develops 218 hp (160 kW) and 240 Nm of torque, for an ideal 50/50 weight distribution. The chassis was co-developed with Stellantis experts, and 0 to 100 km/h takes 6.7 seconds. The car is based on the Leap 3.5 platform, shared with its cousin the Leapmotor B10 compact SUV.

Two LFP batteries are on offer. The Pro version includes a 56.2 kWh battery for 401 km of WLTP range, while the ProMax offers 67.1 kWh and 482 km. On the charging side, an 11 kW AC charger is standard, and DC power output is, depending on versions and sources, in the range of around 140 to 170 kW. Nothing revolutionary, but respectable for the price. Bonus: heat pump and V2L function (powering an external device from the battery) come standard.

Prices that hurt the competition

Let's talk money, since that's the knockout argument. The Life trim starts at 25,400 € with the smaller battery, 27,400 € with the larger one. The Design trim, reserved for the 67.1 kWh battery, tops out at 28,400 €. Even at the top, you stay under the 29,000 € mark.

At these prices, the B05 comes to challenge the Renault Mégane E-Tech, the MG4, the BYD Dolphin Surf… and even its in-house cousins Peugeot e-308 and Opel Astra Electric. A wolf in sheep's clothing, as they say. One small caveat to note: produced in China, the B05 doesn't benefit from the enhanced eco-bonus, even though the final amount will depend on the aid scheme in place at the time of purchase.

In summary

The Leapmotor B05 has all the makings of a game-changer: generous size, rear-wheel-drive architecture, comprehensive equipment and entry-level pricing. It's exactly the kind of car that reshuffles a segment's cards. To discover the complete specification and browse the Leapmotor B05 brochure on Brochure Auto, or to compare it with its bigger sibling the Leapmotor B10, the documentation for this uncommon Chinese compact awaits you.