Leapmotor has confirmed it is studying the feasibility of a ute for the Australian market, but the project will only proceed if combined global demand from markets like Australia, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil can justify production volumes.
Speaking to Australian media at the international launch of the Leapmotor B10 small electric SUV, Leapmotor International’s Global Head of Brand Strategy, Product and Marketing, Francesco Giacalone, said the brand’s engineering team is exploring multiple body styles based on its LEAP 3.5 platform, including the possibility of a dual-cab ute.
“They are studying… anything,” Giacalone said when asked about a pickup. “Of course, there needs to be the volume of demand. Australia only, probably as a market, will not justify in terms of volumes for the launch of a new model. But now with some Mexican friends, some Argentines, some Brazilians, probably will get the critical mass.”
Mr Giacalone said the company’s global development plan is already delivering a new model roughly every six months, with the C10 mid-size SUV, B10 small SUV, and B05 compact crossover forming the core of its international range.
A pickup, he suggested, would sit alongside these as a more rugged option once sufficient international market alignment is achieved.
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While he did not confirm a timeframe, Mr Giacalone said Leapmotor’s flexible platform and in-house control over 60 per cent of its vehicle components would make developing new body types more efficient than traditional manufacturers.
“It’s something we can do quite easily if we have the right scale. The architecture and our vertical integration make it possible,” he said earlier in the presentation.
Mr Giacalone also revealed Leapmotor is developing a new flagship four-wheel drive SUV to take on traditional off-roaders such as the Toyota Land Cruiser and Nissan Patrol – with a development of the extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) powertrain seen in the D19 large SUV.
“You will look in the Chinese press… two days ago has been presented the D19, which is E-SUV… with a very advanced technology – hybrid technology based on range-extender that has been even further evolved for that flagship,” he said.
“The intention there is to go after that LandCruiser market. The intention is to have a full-size SUV – four-wheel drive, desert-ready.”
While the model remains in its early stages, it signals Leapmotor’s aim to broaden its reach beyond small and mid-size SUVs, expanding into the global large-SUV segment with an emphasis on range-extender technology.
At the other end of the spectrum, Mr Giacalone said the small T03 city EV could also join Leapmotor’s Australian lineup if demand grows.
“The car is technically ready to be there… so far it’s been more the lack of demand. If demand rises, there is no concern to be there. So it is possible. Is it absolutely possible? Yes,” he told Australian media.
The T03, already on sale in Europe and parts of Asia, sits below the B10 as a compact urban EV with an expected range of around 300km.
Its release would give Leapmotor a full spread of electric options, from small hatchbacks through to family SUVs and potentially a pickup and full-size off-roader. In some European markets with generous EV subsidies, the T03 is priced around the equivalent of just A$9000.