The Leapmotor Lafa 5 debuts with a $13,100 starting price

Chinese automaker Leapmotor has officially launched its Lafa 5 electric hatchback, designed to compete with the likes of Volkswagen ID.3 and the BYD Dolphin. With a limited-time starting price of RMB 92,800 (roughly $13,100), this new EV makes a powerful bet for the future of budget-friendly performance.

The launch price comes with a RMB 13,000 discount from the original pre-sales starting price - an aggressive play for market share. Deliveries are set to start shortly for this sporty, rear-wheel-drive compact EV that Stellantis' European team fine-tuned for handling.

Drivers who want quick acceleration without breaking the bank will find that the Lafa 5 offers two main motor options. The base variant has a motor generating 132 kW of peak power, capable of launching the car from a standstill to 62 mph in 8.7 seconds. Stepping up to the higher-trim version unlocks a more potent 160 kW peak power motor, slashing the 0 - 62 mph time to an impressive 6.4 seconds.

The Leapmotor Lafa 5 (marketed as Leapmotor B05 in Europe) comes with two LFP battery choices: 56.2 kWh or a larger 67.1 kWh pack. These batteries give the Lafa 5 excellent CLTC range options, depending on the variant chosen.

The 515-series models travel up to 320 miles on a single charge, while the 605-series models push that range to… yes, you guessed it - 376 miles. Leapmotor wasn't too adventurous when it came to naming the trims. When it is time to recharge, the Lafa 5 supports fast charging, letting drivers boost the battery from 30 percent to 80 percent charge in just 19 minutes.

The new electric hatchback uses Leapmotor's LEAP 3.5 architecture B platform and offers substantial size for a compact car. It measures 14.53 ft long, 6.17 ft wide, and 4.99 ft tall. The generous 8.96 ft wheelbase ensures a roomy cabin for passengers. In fact, this size gives the Lafa 5 an edge over some rivals, as it is quite a bit larger than models like the Nio Firefly.

The interior technology matches its modern stature. The cockpit runs on either the capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155P or the powerful 8295P chip, depending on the trim. The latter is the current standard for premium EVs. For driver support, the Lafa 5 includes the Leapmotor Pilot driver assistance system. The top-tier Max variants add advanced LiDAR technology.

The Lafa 5 lineup is divided into five distinct variants, with names directly reflecting their CLTC driving range: the 515 Plus, 515 Pro, 515 Max, 605 Pro, and 605 Max. The company offered a limited-time RMB 5,000 cash discount for early buyers, plus an additional RMB 2,000 pre-sales discount.

This aggressive pricing means the effective starting prices, after all current discounts, range from RMB 92,800 for the base 515 Plus to RMB 116,800 ($16,500) for the range-topping 605 Max model. If the 605 Max version is not fast enough for you, Leapmotor is already developing a higher-spec Lafa 5 Ultra version, which will join the lineup next year. This will very likely be a dual-motor AWD version with close to 300 kW on tap.

This ambitious launch is part of a much larger strategy by the Stellantis-backed Chinese automaker. Leapmotor plans an annual sales target of one million units by 2026. The company's recent performance shows this goal is more than a dream - deliveries topped 70,289 vehicles in October, setting their sixth consecutive monthly record. From January through October, Leapmotor delivered 465,805 vehicles, representing a phenomenal 120% year-on-year increase.

The Lafa 5 joins an expanding fleet, which recently saw the debut of the compact electric A10 SUV. With new D-series models planned alongside existing B-series and C-series offerings in 2026, the Leapmotor Lafa 5 is a major step in a calculated plan to become an important part of the global EV market.

Via