Your Definitive Guide to the new Leapmotor C10 Electric Car Lease

The new Leapmotor C10 electric car lease - Your definitive guide

The push to all-electric transport is not without its obstacles and difficulties. We have heard about vehicle costs, charging issues, vehicle delays and “plunging” into negative equity. Now another potential hurdle has emerged with motor insurance for the electric car sphere, where both personal and business customers have raised concern about the availability and cost of the product.

With contract hire and leasing, the standard position is that the vehicle must be covered by a comprehensive insurance policy; this is not something which is included within the cost of the agreement.

The only exception to this will be some of the salary sacrifice schemes available through an employer / finance company, which allow an employee to use their gross salary to lease a new or used EV including servicing / maintenance / tyres / insurance and breakdown recovery.

However, we do always suggest that customers check the purported cost of the insurance through a salary sacrifice scheme compared to their acquisition in the public domain, as commercial lines of insurance can often be more expensive.

Insuring your EV has, in some cases, proved to be difficult. While we do not work with a specific insurance company or price comparison website, we can always provide useful hints on how to secure the best deal. Price comparison websites like Go Compare or Compare the Market are a useful start, along with advice websites like the Money Saving Expert (Martin Lewis).

Do consider, that some companies will not advertise online like Direct Line. According to the GB News website, there is an issue with electric cars being more expensive to insure due to the cost of resolution and repair. Indeed the article suggests that warranty claims were between 30 to 50% more for all-electric options .

There have even been suggestions from the Green Insurer  in a recent fleet article, that removing the Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) on a battery vehicle would help convert more motorists, as this would allow for a 12% saving. The article in Fleet World, does cover a number of driver concerns surrounding higher acquisition costs, battery replacements and rising motor insurance for an EV.

This has not gone unnoticed by the Government who announced last week that a new taskforce would be investigating the rising costs in the motor insurance sector, highlighting a 21% increase in premiums over the last 2 years.

Bringing together the ABI, Citizens Advice, Which? And Compare the Market, the group will be looking into resolutions, especially for ethnic minorities, those on lower incomes and for younger / elderly drivers. However, this is not to focus on any particular type of fuel, as motor insurance has been generally high across all makes and models. Some may even remember the issues with the Land Rover product becoming unaffordable and the brand having to establish its own insurance solution to help customers! For more information see the  Government’s motor insurance taskforce .

The Leapmotor group launch into the UK electric car leasing market

One such manufacturer looking to benefit from fair motor insurance costs, is the Leapmotor group. Having just launched in the UK, the Stellantis-backed Chinese conglomerate is looking to introduce two key options initially. The C10, a mis-sized crossover SUV, will be their headline option.

This was first shown in 2023 at the Munich Motor Show with the official launch in China taking place in early 2024. However, the UK is now launching the C10 with a Stellantis franchise able to supply these as of October 2024.

Having received a Gold Award by the French Design Awards, this is aiming to offer leading comfort, serenity and safety. Two main options will feature including the Style (which has air conditioning, heat pump, rear parking sensors, rear camera, 10.25” instrument cluster, 14.6” high resolution centre console and 18” alloys) and the Style (which adds heated seats, electric tailgate, ambient lights, rear lighting and 20” alloys). Underpinning the vehicles will be the LEAP pilot with 17 Advanced Driver Active Safety tools and cutting-edge technological innovations.

But how does the Leap C10 perform? Is it a good EV?

•  from £36,500 this RWD SUV will adopt a usable battery of 66 kWh which generates 160 kW (or 215hp), 106 mph top speeds and 0 - 62 times of 7.5 seconds. This will cover a combined 175 miles on a full charge in colder climates, with warmer weather upgrading this to 235 miles - a combined 205 miles. And the 6.6kW AC max will provide for 11 hour and 45 minute 0 – 100% charging times. Rapid charging from 10 – 80% will take 42 minutes on the 84 kW DC. A cargo volume of 401L is available with this car. It has a vehicle fuel equivalent of 126 mpg. You can tow with this EV – 750kg (Unbraked) and 1500kg (Braked). The Heat Pump is standard. 

Need more help and advice on your new Leapmotor C10 EV for 2024 / 2025?

Just get in touch with our team on 01942 910 001 or by emailing us at [email protected] Alternatively, just build your preferred option at the Leapmotor manufacturer website and send us the options.

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