Leapmotor launches the B03X small electric SUV in Thailand from 499,000 baht

Leapmotor's B03X small electric SUV is now on sale in Thailand, with a headline price of 499,000 baht. That figure needs one caveat. Bangkok Motorhaus reports that the regular prices are 549,000 baht for the Style trim and 609,000 baht for the Design trim, and that the first 3,000 customers who reserve get early-bird prices of 499,000 and 569,000 baht. MGR Online lists 499,000 and 569,000 baht as the official prices without that condition, so buyers should check which price applies when they order.

Bangkok Motorhaus describes the B03X as the first electric SUV that Leapmotor Thailand is selling under its own operation. MGR Online reports that the car is fully imported from China, and that Leapmotor sells abroad through Leapmotor International, in which Stellantis holds 51%.

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Two trims, both with LFP batteries

Both versions use lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, a chemistry that avoids nickel and cobalt and is common in lower-priced EVs. The differences, as reported by Bangkok Motorhaus and MGR Online, are mainly battery size, range and charging speed:

• Style: a 39.8 kWh battery, up to 340 km of range on the NEDC test, a 130 kW front motor and DC fast charging at up to 100 kW.
• Design: a 53 kWh battery, up to 450 km on NEDC, a 145 kW front motor and DC charging at up to 133 kW.

Both trims have 200 Nm of torque, front-wheel drive, a 0–100 km/h time of 8.6 seconds and a top speed of 160 km/h. MGR Online reports that a DC charge from 30% to 80% takes about 16 minutes, that both accept AC charging at up to 11 kW, and that both can power outside devices at up to 3.3 kW through vehicle-to-load (V2L).

NEDC is an older European test cycle that tends to give higher range figures than the WLTP cycle now used in Europe, so real-world range is likely to be lower than the quoted numbers. Leapmotor has not published WLTP figures for the Thai cars in the sources we reviewed.

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Size, safety equipment and warranty

MGR Online gives the dimensions as 4,270 mm long, 1,810 mm wide and 1,635 mm tall, on a 2,605 mm wheelbase. The boot holds 407 litres, rising to 927 litres with the rear seats folded.

Bangkok Motorhaus reports that both trims get the same set of 16 driver-assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control and lane centring. MGR Online lists seven airbags and ISOFIX child-seat mounts. The warranty, according to MGR Online and iPhoneMod EV, is 8 years or 150,000 km on the car, with lifetime cover on the high-voltage battery. iPhoneMod EV says the lifetime cover also extends to the electric motor and the electric control system.

Where it sits in the Thai market

Bangkok Motorhaus places the B03X against other electric SUVs on sale in Thailand. It lists the Chery Q from 469,900 baht and Leapmotor's own larger B10 from 698,000 baht. On that comparison the early-bird Style is cheaper than the B10 by 199,000 baht, but it is not the cheapest electric SUV in the country.

Analysis: The B03X arrives in one of Southeast Asia's most competitive EV markets, where Chinese brands already fight hard on price. The early-bird offer is a tactic to win the first wave of buyers, and the gap between the regular and early-bird prices is 50,000 baht on the Style and 40,000 baht on the Design. The 16-system driver-assistance package on the cheaper trim stands out, since, as Bangkok Motorhaus notes, rivals at similar prices often leave some of these features out. The trade-off on the Style is its smaller battery, with 340 km of NEDC range.

Leapmotor has not announced local assembly of the B03X in Thailand in the reports we reviewed. This desk has previously covered Chinese EV makers' export push into Brazil.

This article reports prices and specifications as published. It is not buying advice.

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