The C16 SUV is 4,915 mm long and has a CLTC range of 200 km for the EREV variants and 520 km for the BEV variants.

Leapmotor (HKG: 9863), a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker backed by Stellantis NV (NYSE: STLA), has launched the C16 as a new option for the mid-size SUV (sport utility vehicle) market.

Leapmotor rolled out the six-seat SUV at a launch event today, offering both battery electric vehicle (BEV) and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variants, like its other C-series models.

The Leapmotor C16 EREV is offered in three options with starting prices of RMB 155,800 ($21,450), RMB 162,800 and RMB 179,800 respectively.

Its BEV variant is also available in three options with starting prices of RMB 161,800, RMB 168,800, and RMB 185,800 respectively.

Leapmotor plans to start deliveries of the C16 in July and expects to deliver around 2,000 units in the first month. It expects to begin volume deliveries of the model in August, with more than 5,000 units expected to be delivered in the month.

The EREV variant has the same dimensions as the BEV variant with length, width and height of 4,915 mm, 1,905 mm and 1,770 mm respectively and a wheelbase of 2,825 mm.

The C16 EREV is powered by a 1.5 L engine as a range-extender and a fuel tank with a capacity of 50 L.

All three EREV variants are powered by a battery pack based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry with a capacity of 28.4 kWh and a CLTC battery range of 200 kilometers. The pack supports fast charging, capable of charging from 30 percent to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

The C16 EREV has a combined CLTC range of 1,095 kilometers when fully fueled and charged.

The C16 EREV is powered by a rear electric motor with peak power of 170 kW and peak torque of 320 Nm, which allows it to accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 8.46 seconds.

The C16 BEV is based on the 800 V platform and comes standard with an LFP battery pack with a capacity of 67.7 kWh. It has a CLTC range of 520 kilometers and can be charged from 30 percent to 80 percent in 15 minutes.

The C16 BEV is powered by a rear-mounted single motor with a peak motor power of 215 kW and peak torque of 360 Nm, and can accelerate from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 6.37 seconds.

Both the C16 EREV and C16 BEV use an Nvidia Drive Orin chip in the highest priced variant with 254 Tops of computing power. Both variants come with a LiDAR with 128 channels.

The C16's smart cockpit comes standard with a Qualcomm Snapdragon SA8295P chip, which has been the choice of mainstream high-end EVs for the past year.

Founded in 2015, Leapmotor is one of China's first new car-making forces and is expanding overseas in partnership with Stellantis, Europe's second-largest carmaker by sales.

Leapmotor's other models currently on sale include the T03, C01, C10, and C11, with all but the T03 offered in both BEV and EREV variants.

Leapmotor delivered 18,165 vehicles in May, a new high for the year so far and close to its all-time high at the end of last year, according to figures it released earlier this month.

That's up 50.65 percent year-on-year and up 21.06 percent from 15,005 vehicles in April.

In the January-May period, Leapmotor delivered 66,580 vehicles, up 112.76 percent year-on-year.

At the end of May, Leapmotor had delivered 372,404 vehicles since its inception, data compiled by CnEVPost showed.

($1 = RMB 7.2638)

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