Gasgoo Munich- July 16 turned into a "Crazy Thursday" for the auto sector. Six brands—Li Auto, XPENG, IM, Wuling, Leapmotor, and WEY—released seven new models in two and a half hours. Prices spanned 90,000 to 350,000 yuan. Including Geely Galaxy's tech launch and GAC Group's event, the industry saw eight major events in one day.Amid such a dense barrage of launches, Leapmotor chose Tianmuli in Hangzhou. This venue is seen as a landmark of local youth culture. It officially debuted its new B01 and B10. The B01 carries a guide price of 95,800 to 119,800 yuan. The B10 ranges from 99,800 to 125,800 yuan. The core competitive barriers are distilled into "Four Aces": a full-domain 800V SiC high-voltage platform with 3C ultra-fast charging, front-row dual zero-gravity floating seats, a large-size augmented reality HUD (AR-HUD), and a 17.3-inch 3K central control screen.Image source: LeapmotorCao Li, a senior vice president at Leapmotor, made a rare high-profile statement at the launch. "We've lined up all four Aces at once," he said. "If rivals start chasing us today, they might not catch up until next year." Vice President Zhou Ying positioned the B series as the "heavy hitter" for hitting the annual goal of 1 million units in the second half.The B Series' Dual MissionBefore decoding the strategic weight of the B series, it's necessary to first anchor Leapmotor's current market coordinates.In the first half of 2026, Leapmotor delivered 356,487 units. This represents a 60.8% year-on-year jump. It puts the company far ahead of other startups, 110,000 units clear of the second-place contender. In June alone, global deliveries hit 93,376 units, up 95% from a year ago. This refreshed the brand's monthly sales record.Image source: LeapmotorYet behind the scorecard lie hidden concerns. "We beat the market, beat the competition, and beat ourselves—but we missed our internal targets," said Xu Jun. He is Leapmotor's senior vice president and chief operating officer. He spoke frankly during a group media interview.Broken down against the full-year goal of 1 million units, Leapmotor's first-half completion rate sits at just 35.6%. That implies an average monthly delivery of over 107,000 units in the second half. This is a level no Chinese startup has ever touched in historical data.Even so, Leapmotor has no intention of lowering its annual target, hoping instead to get infinitely close to it. Against such a sales backdrop, the importance of the B series is magnified.Data shows that as of June 2026, global cumulative sales of the B01 and B10 had neared 250,000 units. The B10 broke 10,000 units the month after launch. The B01 held above 10,000 units for four consecutive months. They formed the absolute backbone of Leapmotor's sales base. However, it's worth noting that B-series monthly sales have since retreated. They failed to consistently hold the 10,000-unit line. This reflects the fierce competition in this price bracket.For this newly launched B series, Xu Jun sums up its mission in two dimensions: sales pillar and user expansion.On the sales front, the B series serves as the "mid-tier strength" in Leapmotor's push toward the million-unit goal. Leapmotor's current A, B, C, and D series cover the full price band from 60,000 to 300,000 yuan. The B series is anchored in the 100,000 to 150,000 yuan range. This is the most capacity-concentrated price interval in China's passenger car market. "The B series has a dual task: contributing volume and broadening brand awareness," Xu Jun stated. "We hope to use the B series to introduce Leapmotor to more first-time and replacement buyers."In terms of expansion, the B series user profile is significantly younger than that of the C series. Cao Li revealed that while the C series' core users are concentrated between 30 and 35 years old, the B series drops that to 25–35. More notably, female users account for nearly 40% of the B01, far higher than the gender ratio for the B10.If the B series is the "domestic main force" for Leapmotor's second-half growth, then overseas markets are its "second growth engine."In the first half of this year, Leapmotor exported nearly 100,000 units. This accounted for roughly 30% of total sales. Europe performed particularly well. First-half sales there reached 37,900 units, ranking first among Chinese startups. In the first quarter, registrations in 16 countries hit 23,300 units, a 726.5% surge. Sales in the pure EV market across 12 EU countries totaled about 17,000 units. This placed it at the top among Chinese pure EV brands. In Italy, one in every three pure EVs sold was a Leapmotor. Germany became the B10's largest single market overseas.Cao Li emphasized that the B series is developed on a global vehicle architecture, with safety and durability standards meeting regulatory requirements across all regions. It has already been introduced to over 35 markets, including Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, North America, the Middle East, and Africa. This month, the B10 completed local certification in Mexico and began deliveries, marking Leapmotor's official entry into the North American market.Xu Jun pointed out that the rational choices of overseas users validate Leapmotor's competitiveness. This comes from its "global standards plus leading-edge configuration" approach. "Overseas consumers are very pragmatic," he said. "They choose Leapmotor because they feel our product configuration delivers an experience that exceeds expectations."Behind the 'Four Aces'In terms of product competitiveness, the "Four Aces" of the new Leapmotor B01 and B10 bring features down to the 100,000 yuan price band. These features were once reserved for the 200,000 or even 300,000 yuan class.First is the full-domain 800V silicon carbide high-voltage platform with 3C fast charging. Peak charging power for both models hits 210 kW. Charging from 30% to 80% state of charge takes as little as 16 minutes. In the 100,000-yuan pure EV market, most competitors are still stuck on 400V platforms. Leapmotor's move effectively introduces the industry's fastest charging tech at the entry-level price. The battery pack has been upgraded to a large 69.7 kWh capacity. This gives the B01 a CLTC range of 670 km and the B10 610 km. Cao Li stressed in the group interview that Leapmotor has achieved "conservative range labeling." This means real-world usage rates exceed the CLTC stated values.Second are the front-row dual zero-gravity seats. With a 124-degree ergonomic true zero-gravity angle, 4-way electric leg rests, 10-point massage, ventilation, and heating, this configuration is rare. It is rare even in vehicles over 200,000 yuan. Cao Li admitted that seeing dual zero-gravity seats in a 100,000-yuan car is "quite surprising."Third is the AR-HUD. The B01 is equipped with a 50-inch system. The B10 gets a 55-inch mixed-reality AR-HUD with brightness up to 16,000 nits. This feature previously appeared mainly in high-end models like the D series.Image source: LeapmotorFourth is the 17.3-inch 3K central control screen paired with the Qualcomm SA8295P chip. Standardizing a flagship chip and large screen across the lineup is rare in the 100,000-yuan market. The LiDAR version even carries the Qualcomm 8650 chip and 27 sensing hardware units. It supports "door-to-door" navigation assistance.With such configuration density and a starting price suppressed to 95,800 yuan, how is Leapmotor building its cost advantage?The core answer lies in full-domain self-research plus vertical integration. Leapmotor currently operates 17 component factories. Self-developed and self-made parts account for 65% of total vehicle cost. From powertrain components and electronic controls to automotive chips and vehicle architecture, everything is independently developed and produced. This eliminates the procurement premiums of foreign component suppliers. Based on industry-standard supplier gross margins of 15%, Leapmotor's vehicle cost is roughly 10% lower. This is compared to the outsourcing model for equivalent configuration.Cao Li explained the logic behind Leapmotor's product strategy during the interview. "Conventionally, adding a feature requires a cost-benefit analysis—it has to make more money," he said. "But Leapmotor's principle is true quality at an affordable price. We apply it to high-end models first through self-research. Then we popularize it downward, using volume advantages to drive down costs. Once it's mature, we go all in immediately, rather than releasing it bit by bit."This strategy of "trickling down from high-end to mass market" is vividly displayed in the B series: the dual zero-gravity seats come from the C series, the 17.3-inch central screen from the D series, and the AR-HUD is a self-developed result. Mature one item, popularize one item, and amortize costs through scale—this is the core methodology that distinguishes Leapmotor from the vast majority of competitors.Against the backdrop of sharply rising raw material prices in 2026, Leapmotor persists in a cost-based pricing strategy. This maintains a healthy gross margin of around 15% across the lineup. Zhu Jiangming previously stated that Leapmotor follows a cost-based pricing principle. While the industry generally falls into the vicious cycle of "price war—thinning profits—R&D contraction," Leapmotor uses the cost advantages brought by self-research to build a defensive barrier.Three Tests Cannot Be IgnoredWhile the product offering is undoubtedly strong, Leapmotor must face three practical checkpoints. It must convert orders into deliveries and transform market interest into annual sales. These are the most critical variables between "specs on paper" and "real-world results."Production capacity is the primary bottleneck. "I'm not worried about the volume for the B series; I'm worried about the factory constantly asking me for cars," Cao Li said bluntly. "One factory's monthly capacity is just over 30,000 units, which really tests the response capabilities of manufacturing and the supply chain." Against a backdrop of monthly sales approaching 100,000 units, the ability to ramp up production will directly determine whether the B series can meet its sales expectations.Profit pressure is equally worth watching. Leapmotor's first-quarter gross margin has already fallen to single digits. Under the dual pressure of rising raw material costs and a sustained price war, whether the 15% gross margin target can be held remains unknown. Cao Li acknowledged the pressure from rising materials but said that "the test of everyone's ability to cope with cost changes still stems from the confidence of full-domain self-research."Competition is also intensifying. As mentioned at the opening, on the same night Leapmotor released the B series, brands like XPENG were also unveiling new cars. In the first half of 2026, the Chinese market launched an average of three new vehicles per day. The 100,000-yuan pure EV market has long been a site of fierce competition. Competitors like the BYD Yuan PLUS, GAC Aion Y, and Geely Galaxy E5 overlap heavily with the B series in price. They are continuously iterating.Image source: LeapmotorFrom a product competitiveness perspective, the B series' "Four Aces" have reset the value anchor for the 100,000-yuan pure EV market. They bring labels like 800V, high-end intelligent driving, and comfort features down to the mainstream consumer bracket. These features were once reserved for 300,000-yuan vehicles. The price starts at 95,800 yuan. From a strategic perspective, the B series is not just a sales pillar. It is the critical leap for Leapmotor to transition from "startup champion" to "million-unit-scale automaker." Its success or failure directly determines whether the annual goal can be met. From a capability perspective, the 65% self-made component ratio and roughly 10% cost advantage preserve the initiative for differentiated competition. This advantage comes from full-domain self-research. It applies even in an era of industry-wide losses. It is the foundation of Leapmotor's confidence in going all-in on high configurations.However, three practical tests cannot be ignored. The bottleneck of production ramp-up and the pressure of narrowing gross margins are key. The influx of three new cars a day in the 100,000-yuan fiercely competitive market will also continue to test Leapmotor's systemic resilience. Whether technology trickle-down can translate into sustained orders depends on supply chain elasticity and channel efficiency. Whether overseas increments can offset the domestic price war requires observing delivery rhythms in Europe and emerging markets. But at least on this July night, Leapmotor sent a clear signal to the industry with its "Four Aces." It is no longer content to be a low-key follower. It is attempting to redraw competitive boundaries by letting "cost define standards."
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