In the burgeoning landscape of EVs, the Leapmotor C01 emerges as a significant contender, especially for consumers who are still apprehensive about the transition to all-electric cars. This model notably addresses the common concern of limited range, particularly for long-distance travel, combining the advanced technology of new energy vehicles with the assurance of extended driving range. With its array of eight variants, the Leapmotor C01, particularly the 2023 525 Comfort Edition, offers a compelling blend of style, technology, and performance. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate details of the Leapmotor C01, scrutinizing its exterior and interior design, as well as its performance, to provide a holistic understanding of what sets this vehicle apart in the competitive electric vehicle market.
Exterior
The Leapmotor C01 boasts a stylish and modern exterior. The front features a closed grille design flanked by sharp, fashionable headlights that give the car a more majestic and classic appearance, along with an astonishing visual impact. These headlights incorporate LED low beams, LED high beams, and daytime running lights, and are equipped with functionalities like automatic lighting, headlight height adjustment, and delayed shutoff.
From the side, the C01 presents a sleek profile, emphasized by a fastback roofline and recessed door panels that enhance the car's sporty feel and increase its head-turning potential. The dimensions of the car are substantial, measuring 5050x1902x1509mm with a wheelbase of 2930mm, positioning it as a mid-to-large size vehicle with clear advantages in size within its class.
At the rear, the C01 features through-type taillights that, when lit, give the car a broader and more layered look. The bottom part is wrapped in black, adding to the vehicle's stable and robust appearance.
Interior
The interior design of the Leapmotor C01 is marked by simplicity without excessive flair, but with a strong sense of modern technology. Upon entering, you are greeted by three large screens: a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster, a 12.8-inch central control screen, and a 10.25-inch co-driver screen. These support a range of functions including GPS navigation, traffic information display, Bluetooth/car phone, connected car services, OTA updates, keyless start, remote start, parking radar, 360° panoramic imaging, rear assist driving level, automatic parking, hill start assist, front airbags, side airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system.
The multi-functional steering wheel is covered in leather, offering a comfortable grip and adjustable in both height and depth.
Assistive Control and Space
The C01 comes equipped with a 360° panoramic camera, full-speed adaptive cruise control, automatic parking, hill start assist, and other features to meet everyday needs. For space, a reviewer of 175cm height found ample headroom of about two fists in the front seat, with comfortable lateral space. In the rear, there's about one and a half fists of headroom and more than two fists of legroom, indicating impressive spatial performance.
The trunk capacity is 536L, which is quite flat and practical for daily use. The rear seats can be folded down in a 40:60 ratio, offering even more space for larger luggage items during travel.
Performance
The Leapmotor C01 is powered by a 272 horsepower permanent magnet/synchronous single electric motor, delivering a total power of 200kW, 272Ps of horsepower, and a torque of 360N·m. It is equipped with an electric vehicle single-speed gearbox, achieving an acceleration time of 7.7 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h, and a top speed of 200 km/h. The car uses a lithium iron phosphate battery with a capacity of 68.8kWh, supporting fast charging in 0.67 hours and slow charging in 6 hours. It boasts a pure electric range of 525 km and comes with a warranty of 6 years or 150,000 km.
Driving Experience
The C01 is nimble at startup, with a notable push-back feeling when the accelerator is deeply pressed. The steering is light and precise, and the response of the brakes and accelerator is sensitive. At high speeds, particularly over 100 km/h, the car retains its vigorous power without feeling sluggish. During emergency braking, the car does not pitch forward excessively. The C01 uses a front double-wishbone independent suspension and a rear multi-link independent suspension, offering light and precise steering without noticeable tilting during turns, making it easy to handle.