Leapmotor plans to add plug‑in hybrids to its overseas lineup by H1 2027

The Chinese automaker is preparing additional electrified models for international markets, aiming to address uneven charging infrastructure, shifting European demand and rising interest in mixed-power vehicles

Leapmotor C10 SUV

Leapmotor plans to launch plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models overseas next year, as the Chinese EV maker seeks to broaden its lineup and attract more international buyers, according to people familiar with the matter. Leapmotor has adopted both battery‑electric and extended‑range technical routes, with both the B10 and C10 offered in BEV and EREV variants for overseas markets. The latter uses a small-displacement gasoline engine to generate electricity for the battery, without directly driving the wheels. 

The planned launch of a PHEV model marks a further expansion of Leapmotor’s powertrain portfolio. The models are scheduled to launch overseas as early as the first half of 2027, a move that would help the company expand its market share. Leapmotor founder and CEO Zhu Jiangming previously said that large-battery PHEVs would continue to have significant market potential overseas over the next five to 10 years, particularly in regions where charging infrastructure remains underdeveloped. 

Leapmotor founder Zhu Jiangming

Europe’s BEV growth has slowed somewhat in 2026, while changes to subsidy policies in some countries have caused fluctuations in consumer demand for EVs. Hybrid vehicles, meanwhile, have continued to gain market share. ACEA data showed that European PHEV registrations reached 742,000 units in the first half of 2026, up 24% year on year, with their market share rising to 10.3%. 

For Leapmotor, which is rapidly expanding overseas sales, offering another powertrain option could reduce its reliance on a single technology across markets with different policy environments and charging infrastructure. The potential addition of PHEVs is closely tied to the rapid expansion of Leapmotor’s overseas business. Leapmotor's overseas expansion relies on Leapmotor International, its joint venture with Stellantis, which handles exports and sales outside China. 

Its global deliveries reached 103,129 units in August, up 80.7% year on year, exceeding 100,000 units for a second consecutive month. Leapmotor exported 96,294 vehicles in the first half of 2026, up 372.6% year on year. The figure already exceeded the company’s full-year export volume for 2025 and accounted for 27% of total first-half sales. In the January‑August period of this year, Leapmotor’s overseas exports reached 132,118 units. 

Among them, the B10 posted nearly 12,000 overseas export units in August alone. Leapmotor expects overseas sales to reach around 200,000 units in 2026, with the target rising to 350,000-400,000 units in 2027. The joint venture between Leapmotor and Stellantis had entered more than 45 international markets and established more than 1,000 sales and after-sales outlets as of the end of June 2026, including more than 900 in Europe.