Leapmotor T03 is a no-frills, budget EV that’s cheaper than a Fiat 500 – just not as cute

IT’S not Fiat 500 cute. But it is small and simple like a 500.

Easy to park or drive in tight spaces like a 500.

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Much cheaper than a 500. And packed with kit.

This is the Leapmotor T03.

Leapwho?

Leapmotor. Another oddly-named Chinese EV firm coming our way.

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But this one has been clever.

Like, really clever.

Because Leapmotor has teamed up with Stellantis – owner of Vauxhall, Peugeot, Fiat and others – to build and sell electric cars in Europe.

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In fact, Stellantis owns 51 per cent of the international arm of the business and T03 will be sold at the big glass cathedrals in every town alongside Corsas, 208s and . . . Fiat 500s.

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You’ll see T03 at 50 UK dealers by Christmas.

But is it any good? Yes and no.

For the money, yes.

There’s one high-spec version costing £15,995.

Six airbags. Five doors. Four seats.

I can’t think of anything beginning with three. Two digital display screens.

One comically cheap school-run/commuter car.

Hang on, I’ve thought of something. The paint. There’s three paint colours – white, silver and blue. Your only choice.

Everything else is standard – reversing camera, satnav, adaptive cruise control, panoramic glass roof with electric shade, heated wing mirrors, LED lights, 15in alloys, all the anti-crash tech the law now demands, and more.

Serious competition

Dacia’s £15k Spring, also built in China, has some serious competition.

The dinky T03, just 3.6 metres long, is powered by a 95hp e-motor. It’s nippy and has a cheeky sense of fun.

Sport mode adds a smidge more power and tightens the steering.

Maximum range from the 37.3kWh battery is 165 miles.

Recharging to 80 per cent at a public DC charger takes 36 minutes.

Longer at home.

Now for the negatives. There’s no Apple CarPlay and the built-in satnav is a turd.

They need to put better rubber on it. Wider tyres that actually grip the road. Westlake tyres, anyone?

The low-speed drone to alert pedestrians is annoying.

T03 is £6k cheaper than a Fiat 500 and lowers the cost of an EV for everyone, which is a good thing.

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But I’d have a nearly-new 500 all day long.

• LEAPMOTOR will send three models our way in the next 12 months. The dinky T03, above, a big £36k electric SUV called C10 and a medium-sized SUV called B10. Leap year?

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