Leapmotor C16 collects 12,000 preorders on launch day

The Leapmotor C16 six-seater SUV that made its public debut at Auto China last week turned out a sales hit with 11,950 reservations made in a day, Car News China reports. Leapmotor hasn’t even disclosed the full pricing yet, and only plans to start shipments in June.

From the technical perspective, the C16 is a stretched variant of the C10 SUV that went on sale in China early this spring. It is 4,915 mm (192 inches) long, 1,905 mm (74.4 inches) wide and 1,770 mm (69.2 inches) tall with 2,825 mm (110.4 inches) of wheelbase. Wheels come in 20- and 21-inch sizes, and the buyers can choose from six body color options.

The interior houses three rows of two seats. The front row enjoys power adjustments, heating and ventilation by default. The middle row occupants get their own 15.6-inch multimedia display mounted on the ceiling.

In its electric form, the C16 uses a 292-PS (288 hp / 215 kW) motor plugged into a 67-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery. It cannot go faster than 160 km/h (100 mph) and delivers up to 520 km (323 miles) of CLTC-rated range. The electric system on board runs at 800 volts, meaning you can top up the battery from 30 to 80 percent in just 15 minutes.

Another option is a hybrid called the EREV. It uses a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine to generate extra power for the main electric motor. The latter churns out 231 PS (228 hp / 170 kW) and is linked to a 28-kWh battery pack. This version can accelerate to 170 km/h (105 mph) and cover 230 km (143 miles) in all-electric mode.