This $38,000 “EV-first” SUV claims 560 miles of range, and it barely drives like a hybrid

Leapmotor, a fast-rising Chinese automaker, is betting it can solve one of America’s biggest EV headaches: road-trip anxiety. Its new B10 e-Hybrid promises up to 560 miles of total range while still driving like an electric vehicle, at a starting price that undercuts many compact SUVs.

The hook is the drivetrain. Unlike a typical hybrid, the B10’s wheels are powered only by an electric motor. A small gas engine rides along strictly as a generator, kicking in when the battery needs support. Leapmotor says that setup delivers EV-like smoothness day to day, with gas backup when you’re far from a charger.

An “EV-first” hybrid that never mechanically drives the wheels

The B10 New e-Hybrid uses what Americans would recognize as a range-extender concept, think “electric car with a gas-powered generator,” not a Prius-style hybrid. Leapmotor’s 1.5-liter gasoline engine doesn’t connect to the drivetrain. It generates electricity when needed, while the electric motor does all the actual driving.

That matters for how it feels on the road. In theory, you get the instant torque and linear response of an EV, without gear changes or the sometimes-awkward handoff between gas and electric power found in conventional hybrids.

The tradeoff is calibration. When the generator spins up, it can get noisy if the system isn’t tuned well, one of the classic complaints about range-extender designs. Leapmotor says it’s building on experience from its larger C10 model, but the real test will be how seamlessly the generator fades into the background in everyday driving.

A modest battery aims to cover most daily driving on electricity

The B10’s battery is rated at 18.8 kWh, with an advertised 86 km of electric-only driving, about 53 miles. That’s enough to handle many commutes, school drop-offs, and errands without burning gas, assuming you can charge at home or work.

Leapmotor is also leaning on drive modes to shape behavior. An EV+ mode is designed to prioritize electric driving as much as possible, especially in city traffic, while a standard EV mode keeps electric as the default but allows the generator to step in when the battery drops.

Eco-driving instructors and hybrid skeptics tend to focus on what happens after the battery depletes. If the generator has to rev hard and often to keep up, the “simple EV experience” pitch can fall apart fast, because drivers notice sound and vibration more than spec-sheet promises.

Big range claim: 560 miles, thanks to a generator and a gas tank

Leapmotor’s headline number is up to 900 km of combined range, roughly 560 miles. The company says it gets there by pairing the battery with a 50 kW generator and a 50-liter fuel tank, which is about 13.2 gallons.

As always, that maximum figure will depend on speed, terrain, temperature, and load. But the target customer is obvious: drivers who want an EV-like commute without planning their weekends around charging stops.

There’s no magic here. On a long highway run, you’ll eventually burn gasoline, and the cabin won’t stay whisper-quiet the way a pure EV does. What Leapmotor is selling is flexibility, electric driving most of the time, with gas as a safety net when the miles stack up.

Safety tech: seven airbags and a long list of driver-assist features

Leapmotor says the B10 comes with a high-strength body structure, seven airbags, and 17 advanced driver-assistance features. That’s table stakes in the compact SUV market now, but it’s also where budget-priced vehicles can feel stripped down, so the company is clearly trying to avoid the “cheap car” label.

Two features it highlights are adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assist, with smoother deceleration in curves. That kind of tuning matters more than marketing buzzwords; poorly calibrated systems can brake too aggressively or tug at the steering wheel, turning “assistance” into annoyance.

The automaker also mentions improved occupant-presence alerts, systems meant to reduce the risk of leaving a child or pet behind. These can be genuinely helpful, but false alarms frustrate drivers, so the quality comes down to how often the system cries wolf.

A 14.6-inch screen and a price aimed at the mass market

Inside, the B10 leans hard into the screen-first trend, centered on a 14.6-inch display. Leapmotor is pitching the expected modern tech package, navigation, streaming, voice controls, over-the-air updates, and wireless smartphone connectivity, positioning the cabin as “new car modern” even for buyers coming from older gas SUVs.

The downside is familiar to anyone who’s fought with touchscreen climate controls. Early impressions cited in European coverage suggest some functions can be fiddly, and that’s where brands like Hyundai and Kia have earned fans by keeping more physical controls for everyday tasks.

Price is the other big swing. Leapmotor lists the B10 at £29,995 in the U.K., about $38,000 at current exchange rates. If it lands near that level in other markets, it would slot into the heart of the compact SUV battlefield, where buyers cross-shop value down to the dollar.

The bigger question is whether the B10 can feel refined enough to win repeat customers, not just first-time bargain hunters. Range and price get shoppers in the door; software polish, quiet operation, and day-to-day usability are what keep them there.