New Leapmotor T03 is a back-to-basics EV for just £15,995

• New budget-focused EV from China
• 37kWh battery and 165 miles of range
• Priced from just £15,995

The affordable electric car market has kicked up a gear in 2024 with models like the Citroen e-C3 and Dacia Spring, and now China is trying its hand with the new Leapmotor T03. The dinky city car is arriving later this year with a rock-bottom price tag of just £15,995, making it one of the most affordable new cars on sale, electric or otherwise.

What is the Leapmotor T03?

The T03 is a new fully-electric city car from Chinese car maker Leapmotor. If you haven’t heard of Leapmotor, don’t worry – it was only founded in 2015 and the T03 will be its first model to be sold in the UK. Interestingly the T03 first went on sale in 2020 in its home market, but recent investment from Stellantis – the parent company of brands like Peugeot, Citroen, Fiat and Jeep – has allowed Leapmotor to build and sell cars in Europe for the first time.

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At 3,620mm long, the Leapmotor T03 slots neatly into the city car class and is around the same size as a Kia Picanto or Fiat 500. Unlike the latter, the T03 has five doors, although there’s only seating inside for four passengers. That’s no different to its key rival, the Dacia Spring, which shares similar proportions to the T03 from the outside. There’s little in the way of stylistic flair, but at least the T03 comes as standard with LED daytime-running lights and 15-inch alloy wheels.

There are a few notable differences between the T03 and the Spring when it comes to their electric powertrains. On paper, the Leapmotor appears to have the upper hand, with its 37kWh battery delivering 25 miles more range than the Spring’s 27kWh unit, at 165 miles. Performance should be nippier too, thanks to a 94bhp front-mounted electric motor, although neither car is trying to be overtly sporty.

Instead, Leapmotor has aimed its dinky EV at city dwellers, claiming that up to 245 miles of range is possible in urban driving conditions. There’s a long list of standard equipment to lure buyers away from the Spring, including a panoramic sunroof, an eight-inch digital driver’s display, a 10.1-inch central infotainment screen, parking sensors, a reversing camera, and electric heated door mirrors. Unusually, there’s only one version of the T03 on offer – buyers' only choice will be between white, silver or blue paintwork.

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How much does the Leapmotor T03 cost and when can I buy one?

Of course, the headline attribute of the Leapmotor T03 is the price. Costing just £15,995, it’ll be one of the cheapest new cars on sale when it reaches UK dealerships in December 2024. While that’s £1,000 more than the entry-level Dacia Spring, that car only gets a sluggish 44bhp electric motor – the pokier 64bhp model is £1,000 more expensive than the T03. Customers will be able to place an order from October 2024.

Read up on the best small electric cars to see which zero-emissions city car is for you…