Leapmotor C16 Breaks Cover in China with BEV & REEV Variants

The all-new Leapmotor C16 breaks cover in China as the marque's first model since the Stellantis partnership.

Stellantis-backed Leapmotor has just revealed its latest model in China this week, known as the Leapmotor C16. For the native Chinese market, the C16 arrives in both battery electric (BEV) and range-extender (REEV) variants.

Visually, the new Leapmotor C16 is basically a larger version of the C10 EV, featuring similar design cues, albeit in a larger package. Key design features present here include its bodywork with soft curves, flushed door handles, and full LED headlights and taillights, all while riding on 20-inch alloy wheels.

Speaking of size, the C16 spans 4,915 MM long, 1,905 MM wide, 1,770 MM tall, and has a wheelbase of 2,825 MM. This puts the C16 in the same category as the Kia EV9, with the Chinese EV being slightly smaller than the Korean EV.

Typical fashion of modern Chinese EVs, the C16 comes with a pretty minimalist interior, laced with tons of tech and comfort amenities. Up front, standard tech equipment such as a floating central infotainment screen and a fully digital instrument cluster are both present here. Regardless of variants, all C16 models feature a six-seater configuration spread across three rows, with all of them wrapped in plush leather upholstery.

Depending on the trim levels, the C16 gets a slew of additional tech and amenities. Higher-end ones, for example, will get tri-zone climate control as well as both ventilated and heated functions for the first and second seat rows. Also offered here are the 21-speaker premium audio system, a massive 15.6-inch entertainment screen for the rear passengers, as well as the Pilot Intelligent Driving Assistance system enabled by its lidar sensors.

As we mentioned earlier, the new Leapmotor C16 arrives in both BEV and REEV powertrain forms, at least for the Chinese market. Starting with the former, the C16 BEV is juiced by a 67.7-kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack that grants it a decent maximum EV range of 520 KM.

Motivation is provided by a single, rear-mounted (RWD) electric motor setup rated at 288 HP (215 kW) and 360 NM, allowing a 0-100 KM/H sprint finish of 6.4 seconds.

Meanwhile, the REEV version gets a 1.5-litre petrol engine that acts as a generator for its 28.4-kWh battery pack. In return, said battery pack juices its RWD motor setup, which is rated lower than the BEV version at only 228 HP (170 kW) and 320 NM. As a result, the C16 REEV gets a slower century sprint time of 8.2 seconds, while its all-electric range is capped at 200 KM (CLTC).

The all-new Leapmotor C16 currently retails in China at CNY 155,800 (RM101,074) for the REEV variant, while the BEV variant is tagged higher at CNY 161,800 (RM104,967). As of now, neither Stellantis nor Leapmotor have unveiled any plans to export the C16 to other international markets, like the C10.