Leapmotor B05: Golf-size EV unveiled, will spawn GTI rival

The Leapmotor B05 made its global debut at the 2025 Munich motor show, and will gain a hot Ultra variant in the not-too-distant future.

Leapmotor is happy to talk in hyperbolic terms about the B05, claiming it “redefines what it means to drive electric”, was “conceived for those who live life at full speed”, and will have “segment-defying quality”, but is rather shy on the details.

The only concrete figures we have for the B05 are its dimensions: 4430mm long, 1880mm wide, 1520mm tall, and with a 2735mm wheelbase. This means it will compete in the heart of Europe’s small car segment.

Interestingly, the hatch shares its wheelbase with the B10 SUV, and the two are understood to be based on the same platform.

The top-shelf model has a 160kW/240Nm motor driving the rear wheels, and is capable of completing the 0-100km/h dash in 6.8s. Equipped with a 67.1kWh battery, it has a WLTP range rating of 418km. If the B05 uses the same setup, it will likely boast slightly better performance and longer range.

There’s also a base model equipped with a 132kW motor, and a 56.2kWh battery. Both variants employ lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry for their batteries.

Zhu Jiangming, Leapmotor’s founder and CEO, told Auto Express the company is planning to launch an Ultra hot-hatch variant of the B05.

A photo of the Ultra, featuring an aggressive rear diffuser and large rear wing extending from the top of the tailgate, was briefly flashed on the display wall at the B05’s launch in Munich.

No images of the B05’s interior have been released, but it will possibly feature the same 8.8-inch instrument display, and 14.6-inch infotainment system as the B10.

Founded in 2015 in Hangzhou, a city about 170km south-west of Shanghai, Leapmotor sold its first cars four years later.

In 2023 Stellantis bought a 20 per cent stake in Leapmotor, as well as a majority share of the company’s overseas distribution arm, and has been busy helping the electric startup sell its products outside of China.

The company entered the Australian market last year, and recently recorded its first half yearly profit. It is expecting to sell around 500,000 vehicles around the world this year.

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