Leapmotor, a relatively new Chinese car brand supported by the Italian-American automotive group Stellantis, is increasing its presence in the French market with a range of fully electric vehicles and models that use a range extender—essentially a small gasoline engine that recharges the battery when needed. Leapmotor France is led by Raphaëlle Holderith, who has spoken about the brand’s expansion. Among Leapmotor’s offerings is the B05, a fully connected electric sedan starting at 25,900 euros, which is designed to compete in a market where SUVs dominate. The B05 is part of a strategy managed by Stellantis, which also oversees brands like Peugeot, Citroën, and Fiat. Since the start of the year, Leapmotor has registered over 4,700 vehicles in France, placing it among the top Chinese manufacturers in the fully electric segment. The B05 has a design that some might liken to a larger version of the Volkswagen Golf, with frameless doors and a 4.43-meter length. Inside, it features soft plastics on the upper part of the dashboard and a central console with practical storage compartments. However, its trunk space is limited to 345 liters, which is below average for its class. The car is highly connected, featuring a 14.6-inch central screen, a 360-degree camera, and advanced driving assistance systems, including lane centering with automatic lane change capabilities. Despite these features, the car has some ergonomic limitations, such as the lack of physical buttons on the panoramic sunroof and the need to use a touchscreen or voice command to control it. It also allows for remote unlocking using an NFC card on the driver's side mirror, which may be inconvenient in some situations. On the road, the B05 offers a smooth and quiet ride, with a 218-horsepower engine that accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.7 seconds. However, its weight of 1,749 kg affects its performance on highways. The standard 56.2 kWh battery provides a range of about 150 km at 130 km/h on the highway, requiring frequent fast charging. A larger 67.1 kWh battery is available for longer trips. The B05’s price is competitive, with the Life Pro version starting at 25,900 euros and the 67.1 kWh version priced at 27,900 euros. It faces competition from the MG4 Urban, which starts below 20,000 euros in its entry-level version, but the B05 remains strong in terms of price, performance, and equipment. European rivals like the Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and the Renault Mégane E-Tech are significantly more expensive, with the B05 maintaining a price advantage of 5,500 to 8,000 euros even after considering ecological bonuses. Despite some ergonomic shortcomings, the B05 offers a compelling balance of price, performance, and equipment. Leapmotor’s lineup in France includes the city car T03 and SUVs such as the B10 and C10, with the B03X and B05 being introduced at the same time. The brand plans to further expand its presence at the Paris Motor Show, where it will announce the city car B03 and the large SUV D19, available in both fully electric and hybrid versions with a thermal range extender.