Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor will introduce an all-wheel-drive version of its C10 compact SUV in Europe this autumn, featuring 800-volt technology and a dual-motor setup delivering 430 kW of power. The performance variant, available exclusively in the ‘Design’ trim, can accelerate from zero to 100 kph in four seconds.
The new variant is powered by two electric motors — one on each axle — and is expected to weigh over two tonnes. It represents a major upgrade from the 400-volt architecture used in previous European C10 models.
The 800-volt system is designed to improve charging performance, enabling the battery to increase from 30% to 80% in around 22 minutes at suitable fast-charging stations.
Equipped with an 81.4 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the AWD version offers more capacity than the standard European C10’s 69.9 kWh unit, which delivers up to 425 kilometres of range under WLTP standards. Although the larger battery could extend range, the additional motor is expected to raise consumption, resulting in an estimated range of about 400 km.
Leapmotor has not confirmed the top speed or the maximum charging capacity of the performance variant. While charging speeds are quicker than the 400-volt model, they remain slightly slower than some competitors, such as Hyundai’s Ioniq 5 N, which can charge from 10% to 80% in 18 minutes with a 260 kW capacity.
