Leapmotor Announces Second Brand, Expanding Space with LEAP 5.0

Leapmotor has moved into a technology rollout that goes beyond complete-vehicle manufacturing. On September 16, 2026, the company held its Tech Day and officially announced the establishment of a second brand. According to reporting by Chen Shichen of iFanr, the event’s theme was “underlying strength,” with vehicle architecture, driver assistance, drive systems, and batteries all updated together.

The new brand’s name, price range, and specific models have not been disclosed. What is confirmed is that the first product will be launched in 2027. The product will adopt the LEAP 5.0 vehicle architecture, with space efficiency and intelligent features at its core. The company’s stated goal of “over 100% space efficiency” reflects a philosophy of turning the fixed cockpit area into variable space.

Until now, the company’s recognition has been supported by price and equipment. It offered larger bodies and rich features in the same budget range, building its reputation on combining high quality with low prices. Behind this are in-house R&D across all domains and a high degree of vertical integration. This approach helped it reach monthly sales on the scale of 100,000 units. This Tech Day can be positioned as a move toward strengthening fundamentals after expanding scale.

Overview of the Second Brand and LEAP 5.0

The second brand is based on LEAP 5.0. LEAP 5.0 is an architecture that combines a lowered floor with a raised roof. It secures a fully flat floor about 70mm lower, and can lift the roof about 800mm upward. Its distinctive feature is the ability to mass-produce vehicles that are born with a roof-raising function.

This direction means strengthening the large-space approach. It compresses the volume occupied by mechanical components and reallocates it to living space. Combined with a revamped electrical and electronic architecture, it enables variable space. The first product in 2027 will serve as the test case for this approach.

Mechanical Design to Expand Vertical Space

The key point of LEAP 5.0 lies in consolidating parts count and layout. The air-conditioning system is highly integrated, and the drive system is placed at the rear. The ultra-integrated air-conditioning unit reduced thermal-management parts from 69 to 21. Dampers are mounted vertically, and small strut mounts limit intrusion into the cabin.

The vertical margin was presented in figures. An approximately 70mm lowering of the floor and an approximately 800mm raising of the roof are achieved together. Expansion in the vertical direction contributes to both habitability and load capacity. Compression in mechanical design provides the resources for space efficiency.

Leapmotor explains that LEAP 5.0 frees up a fully flat floor about 70mm downward and allows the roof to be raised about 800mm upward.

The above explanation was conveyed in iFanr’s reporting. The roof-raising is built in at the structural stage, not as an aftermarket modification. It differs from the past in that variable space is assumed from the design stage.

E/E Architecture Supporting the

Variable-Space Structure

Variable space requires backing in power supply and communications. LEAP 5.0 adopts 48V power supply across the lineup, Ethernet across the lineup, and centralized domain control. The 48V system supplies power to high-output equipment such as the roof-raising mechanism and by-wire chassis. Ethernet handles transmission of video and control data.

The centralized structure directly led to reduced wiring. Total vehicle wiring was shortened to about 500m. Shorter wiring contributes to weight reduction and simpler assembly. It also helps curb communication latency and makes it easier to add functions.

Securing power capacity affects the responsiveness of moving parts. With a low-voltage system alone, there are cases where driving force is insufficient. The shift to 48V enabled higher output for auxiliary equipment. It can be regarded as a foundation that balances roof-raising with intelligent features.

Bringing World-Model Driver Assistance to

Lower Price Segments

In driver assistance, LWM world-model driver assistance was introduced. It consists of three layers: a foundation world model, an onboard real-time world model, and fleet-data collaborative learning. The foundation side deepens environmental understanding, while the onboard side makes instant decisions. Real-world driving data is cycled back to update capabilities.

Multiple computing platforms were prepared, including 200 TOPS, 640 TOPS, and 1280 TOPS. Tiered computing power makes deployment across price segments easier. Smaller computing power directly helps contain costs. The company stated it will equip models priced at 100,000 yuan or less, including the A10, with world-model driver assistance.

Support for existing users was also announced. About 350,000 delivered LiDAR-equipped vehicles will be updated free of charge in stages from 2027. Usage fees were promised to be free for life. Because sensors and platforms differ by model year, at least 50 million yuan will be invested in porting and rebuilding algorithms.

Updates in Multi-Mode Drive and Battery

Integration

In the drive field, the MM-i multi-mode hybrid electric drive was introduced. It adds plug-in hybrid power to the existing product lineup, forming three routes: pure electric, range-extended, and plug-in. The generator can participate in driving as needed. Dual electromagnetic clutches are integrated coaxially, with operating states switched by in-house control algorithms.

Operating states include pure electric, series, parallel, and direct engine drive, among others. The announced maximum system output is 206kW. The intended application range is from the A0 segment to the D segment. For small models, it is said to limit sacrifices in living space.

In overseas markets where charging infrastructure is unstable and long-distance demand is strong, multiple modes adapt more easily than a single range-extender approach. It can respond to regional fuel conditions and charging infrastructure. Expanding powertrain options is linked to the export strategy. Diversifying drive systems has become a means of opening up markets.

In batteries, the CTC 3.0 high/low-voltage integrated battery is the core. The aim is to solve issues with low-voltage auxiliary batteries. A standalone low-voltage battery needs replacement after a few years. After long-term parking, low-voltage power shortages can make starting impossible.

According to Leapmotor, CTC 3.0 greatly increases low-voltage storage capacity. It achieves lifetime maintenance-free operation and can save more than 2,000 yuan in usage costs. The company also announced a policy of opening related patents to the industry. It is an approach that reduces battery maintenance burden from the structural side.

Current Status and Exploration of Supply and

Robot Businesses

The company is also expanding business beyond complete-vehicle manufacturing. It is developing a business to supply batteries, electric drives, and whole-vehicle architectures to other companies. The concept is to earn revenue through platform supply. Disclosed partnerships reach 5 companies for electronic systems, 8 for electric drives, and 10 for batteries. Partners for vehicle-level architecture and technology include FAW and overseas Stellantis.

The robot business is at the technology demonstration stage. Founder Zhu Jiangming stressed the importance of monetization at the event.

Being able to make a robot that can be taken for a walk is no great feat. A robot that can earn money is something to be proud of

At present, no specific products, customers, or commercialization timeline have been shown. Compared with the supply business, it remains heavily exploratory. Showcasing accumulated technology and exploring future businesses are proceeding in parallel.

The overall direction is an extension of past practice. Enhance space and experience with cost-controllable technical methods. Bring better experiences to small cars and mass-market price segments. The second brand in 2027 will be the concentrated result of this approach.

Editorial Opinion

Looking at short-term impact. In the next 3-6 months, the focus is expected to be on the cost effects of LEAP 5.0 parts consolidation and 48V adoption. Reductions in air-conditioning parts and shorter wiring directly affect cost and assembly man-hours. Collaboration with 5, 8, and 10 partners on the supply side could advance parts commonization. Disclosure of details on the second brand is expected to provide material for demand forecasting.

Taking a long-term view. In 1-3 years, vehicle design centered on space efficiency is expected to change the competitive conditions in mass-market price segments. If roof-raising structures become a mass-production premise, design freedom for overnight stays in the car and multi-passenger use will increase. Expansion of world-model driver assistance into lower price segments could promote standardization of functions. Opening of battery patents is expected to spill over into maintenance design for low-voltage systems.

Questions from the editorial team are noted. It is asked by what metrics the safety and durability of variable space will be verified. Evidence is needed for crash safety of the movable roof section, water and dust resistance, and retention of rigidity after long-term use. Quality assurance for algorithm porting for the 350,000 vehicles eligible for free updates is also seen as an issue. Resource allocation between the pre-monetization robot business and the vehicle business is also seen as a question.

References

• “零跑官宣第二品牌，新车将有小米 SUV 同款升顶能力”, by 陈世琛 — 爱范儿, 2026-09-17T16:52:31.000Z (ARR)
• Source URL: https://www.ifanr.com/1680808?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=