The Leap C16 is a mid-size SUV with six seats. Leap is the brand. The company is called Leapmotor, spelled as one word. The Chinese brand name is 零跑, Língpǎo, Leap. The Chinese company name is 零跑汽车, Língpǎo Qìchē, Leapmotors. Confusingly, abroad, the company uses Leapmotor as the brand name as well as the company name.
A company advertisement offering various discounts. From left to right: Leap T03, C01, C16, C10, and C11. Leapmotor is doing well in China. In 2024, the company sold 284.285 cars, good for 22nd place in the sales rankings, just below Tumpchi and just above Lynk & Co. Leapmotor is also strong in exports, thanks to a major tie-up with Stellantis.
The Leap C16 debuted in April 2024. It is the flagship of the Leap brand. The C16 is a six-seat car in a 2/2/2 seating setup. The design is great, with an aerodynamic body and a hint of sportiness. It has hidden door handles, black mirrors, black window frames, roof rails, and a subtle roof spoiler.
Interior of the Leap C16
The interior is modern and spacious, with an Orange interior, a rare color even in China. It has a two-spoke steering wheel with a thick rim and a flat bottom. The drive selector is on the steering wheel column. The 10.25-inch driver’s display looks great, like it floats over the dashboard. The C16 is furthermore equipped with a 14.6-inch touchscreen and a 21-speaker sound system.
It has a 15.6-inch folding screen in the back. The screen is not visible in the photo. I borrowed another pic from Leapmotor:
The front passenger seat’s backrest fully reclines, transforming the space into a comfortable lounge-like area. It has two cup holders in the rear, and a small fridge under the armrest area of the front seats.
Specifications of the Leap C16
The size of the Leap C16 is 4915/1905/1770, 2825. Leapmotor offers EV and EREV variants. This Glazed Green example is the EV. It has a single-motor rear-wheel drive layout. The output is 215 kW and 360 Nm. The top speed is limited to 160 km/h and 0-100 takes 6.37 seconds.
Leap offers two LFP batteries: 67.7 kWh for a range of 520 kilometers and 74.9 kWh for 580 kilometers. Fast charging takes 15 minutes and 16.2 minutes respectively. The maximum charging speed is 180 kW.
Characters: 零跑, Língpǎo, Leap.
The price of the Leap C16 EV ranges from 156.800 yuan to 184.800 yuan ($21.6K – 25.5K). That makes the C16 one of the cheapest six-seat electric SUVs in China.