Leapmotor B03 electric hatch unveiled as Geely EX2 rival

The Leapmotor B03 compact electric hatch has been launched in China and could be offered in Australia as a rival to cut-price electric vehicles (EVs) such as the Geely EX2, GAC Aion UT and BYD Dolphin.

The B03, badged as the Leapmotor A05S in China, is slightly smaller than the upcoming B05 small hatch (4430mm for standard variants and 4490mm for Ultra variants) and also the B10 small SUV, which is offered here alongside the larger C10 mid-size SUV that launched the Chinese brand locally in late 2024.

Leapmotor is 20 per cent owned and distributed in international markets by Stellantis, whose automotive portfolio includes Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Peugeot and Maserati.

The five-door, five-seat B03 is essentially a hatchback version of the B03X compact SUV, which was launched in China as the Leapmotor A10 in March 2026 and has been confirmed for release in the UK in the second half of 2026.

While the rear-wheel drive B05 arrives here imminently to take on rivals such as the MG 4, neither of Leapmotor's smaller B-Series models has yet been confirmed for Australian showrooms, though the B03X – a Chery E5 and MG S5 EV rival – has effectively been locked in after Australian Design Rule (ADR) applications were lodged.

Order books for the B03 opened in China last week, but pricing and full specifications are yet to be announced. It's expected to be priced competitively against rivals, with the Geely EX2 and BYD Dolphin both starting from ¥69,800 ($14,740).

In Australia, where the B03X is due to arrive by the end of this year with a starting price between $25,000 and $30,000, the EX2 starts from $24,490 before on-road costs, while the Dolphin is priced from $29,990 before on-roads. Therefore prices are expected to start closer to that of the BYD Atto 1 ($23,990 to $27,990 plus ORCs) at close to $25,000.

At 4175mm long, the B03 is longer than a Toyota Yaris but shorter than a Corolla, and sits between the Geely EX2 and BYD Dolphin in terms of length. It measures 1790mm wide and 1560mm high, and its 2605mm wheelbase is shorter than that of most rivals, with only the Hyundai Inster (2580mm) offering a shorter distance between the axles.

The new hatch is based on the same LEAP 3.5 underpinnings as the B10, featuring an 800V electrical architecture, a new thermal management system, cell-to-chassis 2.0+ battery integration, and multi-link rear suspension.

Australian versions could receive their own suspension tune following comments made to CarExpert earlier this year by Leapmotor International's Global Head of Brand Strategy, Product and Marketing, Francesco Giacalone.

Few other details have been released, but the B03 is expected to mirror the B03X's powertrain lineup.

While the B10 and C10 sold in Australia are available with both battery-electric and extended-range (EREV, or Hybrid EV in Leapmotor-speak) powertrains, the B03 and B03X have so far been launched exclusively as EVs.

Unlike the larger B05 hatch, all overseas versions of the B03 are front-wheel drive, with a choice of a 70kW/150Nm electric motor powered by a 39.8kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, or a 90kW/150Nm motor teamed with a 53.0kWh LFP battery in China.

European-market versions produce higher outputs of 130kW/200Nm and 145kW/200Nm, which are more likely candidates for Australia should the B03 arrive here.

Leapmotor says the B03 offers a driving range of up to 242 miles (389km) under the WLTP testing standard (compared to between 292km and 382km for the B03X), which is expected to apply to the larger 53.0kWh battery.

Exterior highlights include a two-tone paint scheme, including a pink 'floating roof' paired with black paint, with seven body colours available. Inside, synthetic leather upholstery is offered in black, pink, oatmeal and myrtle colour schemes.

The cabin also features a 14.6-inch infotainment touchscreen, 360-degree camera, 8.8-inch digital instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus over-the-air software updates.

There's also a flat-floor cabin design, while Chinese-market models offer rear-seat tray tables and a powered tailgate. Advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) also use LiDAR.

Between January and June 2026, Leapmotor Australia's sales increased 152.1 per cent year-on-year, led by the B10 with 511 deliveries, while the C10 recorded 268 sales in the same period.

The B05 hatch is due to arrive this month, and the B03X is expected to be the next new Leapmotor model to go on sale in Australia (in late 2026), potentially followed by the B03.

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