Leapmotor B05 Ultra electric hot hatch confirmed for New Zealand, Australian talks under way

Hot hatch firming, but no Australian commitment yet

Leapmotor Australia has yet to announce launch timing for a sporty Ultra version of its new B05 small electric hatchback, despite the hot hatch being confirmed for a New Zealand launch. The Chinese brand's New Zealand distributor, Auto Distributors New Zealand, told CarExpert New Zealand in August that the B05 Ultra will arrive there during the second half of 2027. Leapmotor Australia chief Andy Hoang confirmed he is in discussions with Leapmotor to introduce the model in Australia, telling CarExpert: "We definitely would like to have it here." He said local timing could not yet be confirmed, but the company is "definitely in conversations to see how and when we could get it here". ¹

Mr Hoang argued the Ultra would strengthen the appeal of the B05, which he described as already a halo product for the brand in Australia because it is different from the EVs most buyers see. He said customers buying the current B05 "want to make an entrance", and predicted the Ultra "will supersize that" even if it remains niche. He added that the halo effect on the brand would be significant. Specifications and timing for the New Zealand market have not been announced, and Leapmotor has not confirmed how the export-market B05 Ultra will differ from the Chinese-market Lafa 5 Ultra it will be based on. ¹

Export version set to differ from the Chinese Lafa 5 Ultra

The export-market B05 Ultra is expected to differ from the Chinese-market car. Leapmotor Europe product marketing manager Alexis Cieslewicz told CarExpert in June that the global version of the Ultra will receive further development, saying the Chinese version "maybe is not perfect for European market" and needs fine-tuning and more evaluation time before a European launch. Danilo Annese, Leapmotor International's head of commercial operations for Europe, was more direct, saying the car is coming in 2027 but not at the beginning because customer expectations on performance are demanding in Europe and Australia alike: "This is why the Chinese Ultra does not play the game." He added that the power output "could be more" and that the Chinese car is "mainly a body kit" which the company wants to do "a little bit better than that". ¹

What the Chinese-market Ultra offers

As currently offered in China, the Lafa 5 Ultra uses a single-motor rear-wheel drive electric powertrain like the B05 that has just arrived in Australia, but with output raised from 160kW and 240Nm to 180kW and 255Nm. It is offered with the same 56.2kWh and 67.1kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries as the Australian-market B05, with Leapmotor claiming 0-100km/h times of 5.9 seconds with the smaller pack and 6.2 seconds with the larger one. These are manufacturer claims, and no Australian or New Zealand specifications have been announced. ¹

The Ultra also brings visual and chassis changes over the regular B05: a more aggressive bodykit with side skirts, a rear diffuser and rear spoiler; 19-inch gunmetal grey alloy wheels wearing Hankook iON EVO tyres; a ride height 10mm lower than the regular car; and interior upgrades including front bucket seats, faux suede upholstery with leather appointments and a faux suede headliner. Leapmotor touts European chassis tuning and 50:50 weight distribution for the Ultra, as it does for the regular B05, also sold in China as the Lafa 5. ¹

Performance positioning against rivals

Even with the extra power, CarExpert notes the B05 Ultra falls well short of the MG 4 EV XPower, a dual-motor all-wheel drive hatch producing 320kW and 600Nm with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 3.8 seconds. For context within Leapmotor's own Australian range, the regular B05 is claimed to sprint from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds with the smaller battery and, unusually, 6.7 seconds with the larger pack despite no difference in power and torque. The brand's quickest model here is the limited-run C10 AWD Sports+ Special Edition, a mid-size electric SUV with 440kW and 760Nm and a claimed 4.0-second 0-100km/h time. ¹

Part of a broader Australian expansion

The B05 is Leapmotor's only non-SUV model in Australia; overseas the brand also offers sedans, a people mover and a microcar. In a separate interview with CarExpert, Mr Hoang said Leapmotor is evaluating a range of further products for Australia: "B03 is one of them. B05 Ultra is one of them. C16. D19." He said these are vehicles Leapmotor has announced globally, and the task is working through timing and which ones fit Australian demand. The company launched here with the mid-size C10 SUV in 2024, added the small B10 SUV in 2025 and the B05 hatchback this year, with the B03X light SUV due before the end of 2026, and has confirmed it is eyeing a three-row SUV. ¹²

Earlier reporting by CarExpert's Derek Fung recorded the B05 Ultra being revealed in Beijing as a hotter flagship of the Golf-size electric hatch, ahead of the hatchback's launch in Europe and Australia by the end of that year, following the B05's unveiling as a rival to the MG 4. The Ultra's New Zealand confirmation in the second half of 2027, and the absence of any Australian announcement, leave local availability for the hot hatch unresolved while the distributor says discussions are continuing. ³¹