Leapmotor B03 electric hatch approved for sale in Australia with two motor options
The Leapmotor B03 hatchback has received Australian government certification with 130kW and 145kW front-drive motors, though local pricing, battery choices and launch timing remain unconfirmed.
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Certification confirmed
CarExpert reports that the Leapmotor B03 electric hatchback has been given government approval to go on sale in Australia, clearing the way for it to compete with the BYD Atto 1 and Geely EX2 at the price-leading end of the local EV market. The certification filing confirms two motors for Australian roads: a base 130kW unit and a more powerful 145kW variant. In European specification both produce 200Nm of torque and drive the front wheels, although Chinese-market B03s are also offered with less powerful 70kW/150Nm and 90kW/150Nm motors. Leapmotor has not yet confirmed local pricing or full specifications, and no launch date has been announced. 1
The same certification details — the two approved motors, the 200Nm torque figure and front-wheel drive — are corroborated in syndicated coverage of the CarExpert report, and the outlet notes the B03 could soon take on the cheapest electric vehicles sold here. Beyond what the filing discloses, questions such as which battery options will be offered locally and when deliveries will begin remain open. 13
Wheels, dimensions and battery outlook
According to CarExpert's report on the filing, Australia-bound B03s will ride on 16- or 17-inch wheels, and all models will use 205/55 tyres regardless of rim size. The B03 measures 4175mm long, 1790mm wide and 1560mm tall, with a 2605mm wheelbase. The filing does not detail which batteries will be available locally, so any range figures for the Australian hatch remain unconfirmed. 1
As a guide, CarExpert points to the closely related B03X small SUV, which is sold in Europe with a choice of 39.8kWh and 53kWh batteries. In Germany the 39.8kWh pack is paired with the 130kW motor and delivers a claimed 292km WLTP range with a claimed 8.6-second 0-100km/h time, while the 145kW B03X pairs the 53kWh battery for 382km WLTP and DC fast-charging at up to 133kW, also claiming 8.6 seconds to 100km/h. CarExpert's analysis is that the lower, more aerodynamic B03 hatch should be slightly more efficient and faster than its SUV sibling, though that is an expectation rather than a certified figure. 1
Price expectations and the sub-$30,000 field
Leapmotor has yet to confirm pricing for the B03, but CarExpert reports it is widely expected the related B03X will start at around $30,000 in Australia, which would likely position the hatch below the $30,000 mark. The outlet counts just three EVs currently in that price zone: the BYD Atto 1 Essential from $23,990 (65kW/175Nm, 30kWh battery, 220km WLTP), the Geely EX2 Complete at $26,490 (60kW/150Nm, 35kWh, 252km WLTP), the Atto 1 Premium at $27,990 (115kW/220Nm, 43kWh, 310km WLTP) and the BYD Dolphin Essential at $29,990 (70kW/180Nm, 45kWh, 340km WLTP). CarExpert notes these are standard list prices excluding on-road costs, and these figures are listed as context rather than confirmed B03 pricing. 1
An Australian EV pricing database lists comparable segment figures, including the Atto 1 Essential at $23,990 with 220km range, the Atto 1 Premium at $27,990 with 310km, the Geely EX2 Complete at $26,490 with 252km and the Dolphin Essential at $29,990 with 340km WLTP. If Leapmotor prices the B03 under $30,000 as expected, it would enter this small but growing field with more power than any of those entry variants on paper, pending official local specifications. 4
The B03X connection and an independent first drive
The B03 shares its platform with the B03X small SUV, which Chasing Cars drove internationally in Spain ahead of its Australian launch. In its first drive, Chasing Cars reports indicative Australian pricing for the B03X "from $30,000 driveaway", with a possible $29,990 inclusive sticker for the base grade and the higher-spec Design variant expected from about $33,000 drive-away — figures it distinguishes from the BYD Atto 2 Dynamic's roughly $35,500 drive-away price. Chasing Cars found the B03X genuinely practical, praising rear seat space, a Honda-style flipping rear bench and a 510-litre boot with a washable underfloor compartment, but criticised light, slow steering, loose rear-end handling, body roll and intrusive driver-assist systems. 5
Chasing Cars also reports Leapmotor Australia will skip the smaller 39.8kWh battery available in Europe and fit the 53kWh pack to both local B03X grades, Style and Design, for a claimed 382km WLTP range, with 16 minutes claimed for a 30-80 per cent DC charge at up to 133kW. Notably, that review states the B03 hatch itself was not planned for Australia, a position that predates the certification reported by CarExpert later in September — a conflict the certification filing now appears to supersede, though local launch intent for the hatch is still not formally confirmed by Leapmotor. 51
Where the B03 fits in Leapmotor's Australian push
The B03 would sit alongside a fast-growing local line-up. CarExpert's pricing report for the related B05 hatch shows it launched in August 2026 with list prices of $35,888 (Style) and $39,888 (Design LR) before on-road costs, alongside introductory drive-away pricing of $35,990 and $38,990 for vehicles purchased and delivered between July 1 and September 30, 2026 — two different pricing bases that should not be read as a discrepancy. The B05 pairs 160kW rear-drive with 56.2kWh or 67.1kWh batteries, claimed WLTP ranges of 401km and 482km, and is backed by a six-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and eight-year/160,000km battery warranty. 2
The brand's retail footprint is also expanding. 7NEWS, republishing CarExpert's reporting, says Leapmotor could recruit more Australian dealers from outside the traditional Stellantis network as it looks to improve coverage beyond its current 24 locations. Danilo Annese, Leapmotor International's commercial head for the Enlarged Europe region, told media including CarExpert at the B03X's international launch in Spain: "I also think we could look outside our own Stellantis distribution network... That is probably one of the things most complex to do, but that can give results." 7NEWS notes his comments do not amount to a confirmed appointment or network target, and that Annese repeatedly acknowledged Australia sits outside his direct area of responsibility. Leapmotor launched here with nine dealers in November 2024, and 7NEWS reports it delivered 112 vehicles in August 2026, up 286.2 per cent from a low base, with the B03X set to become its fourth local model. 6
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- Leapmotor B03: Bargain EV approved for sale in AustraliaNews publisherSource extract saved
Why these labels?Leapmotor B03: Bargain EV approved for sale in Australia
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