Finalist of the year: The Leapmotor C10 REEV. Photo: Supplied
When Leapmotor was introduced to South Africa in October 2025 it was more than just a new Chinese brand being thrown into the market. Its joint venture with Stellantis launched the C10, which introduced South Africans to a new form of new-energy vehicles (NEV).
The C10 is a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV), which means it uses both a petrol engine and electric motor but the petrol engine will never be used to move the vehicle’s wheels. Instead, the engine acts only as a generator to replenish the battery and keep the electric motor running, which is what supplies power to the wheels and moves the vehicle.
Leapmotor promoted it as a constant flow of smooth electric driving, without the worries, like range anxiety. While the battery can be charged at a charging station, the engine can also be refilled. Leapmotor claims the battery will give drivers a range of 145km. The combined driving range is 970km.
While the concept of the REEV can help South Africans come to grips with the transition to NEVs and the range can take you as far as you need to go, there were a few pros and cons.
The frustrations
This is where the hotel room vibes begin. For starters, there is no key to open the Leapmotor C10 REEV. Instead, there’s a key card that uses the nearfield communication (NFC) panel on the vehicle. While that might sound cool, it could have been if there had been multiple NFC panels. However, the only NFC panel is on the driver-side mirror, making it inconvenient to open and lock the car. You can’t even open the boot without placing the card there.
Leapmotor, however, has said the app, which you can download on your phone, will resolve this issue. But there are other issues with the key card. It has to be placed on the NFC panel inside the car for it to start. The other frustration I had, which is not exclusive to the C10 REEV, was that there were only four buttons inside and those control the automatic windows. Everything else had to be operated through the larger-than-life infotainment screen. Whether it’s adjusting mirrors, opening the fuel tank or opening the boot from inside the vehicle.
What got me even more mad was that the car has camera and sensor technology that detects driver distraction and then makes a noise. But because everything had to be operated through the infotainment system, I had to keep looking at it and then was told off by the car.
Luckily, I could switch that off.
The pros
There’s some great things about the vehicle too. For starters, the drive is exceptional. The feeling of constant electric driving means you experience a smooth-sailing drive.
The vehicle has 158kW of power and 320Nm of torque and because it is only the electric motor moving the wheels, the torque delivered is instant, so it is easy to get around vehicles when you need to. The fact that you also have 970km of range on a full tank and full charge keeps you comfortable. Best of all is that even when I was using fuel to charge the battery, my fuel consumption sat at 6.9 litres/100km.
The Leapmotor C10 REEV probably has one of the best interiors on the market. Our top-of-the-range variant came in a camel brown interior that screamed premium. The way the air vents are structured and how the ambient lighting shines at night with the addition of the panoramic moon roof makes it all come together to create a pleasant place.
However, the coolest aspect is another hotel room feature. The car has “nap mode” that reclines the front seat almost 180 degrees, closes the cover of the moon roof and plays rain sounds to help you fall asleep.
Who needs to book a hotel room after driving 970km in this vehicle?
Pricing and verdict
While it took me some time to get over the frustrations, the Leapmotor C10 REEV’s good outweigh its bad. With new REEV technology, a stylish interior and some cool features, the starting price of R759 900 for the Style variant and R799 900 for the Design variant make this another Chinese vehicle worth the money.
The Leapmotor C10 REEV is a finalist for South African Car of the Year 2026.
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