Leapmotor Packs Inexpensive Electric Car With High-End Tech, Pushing China’s EV War to New Extremes

Chinese electric vehicle maker Leapmotor launched its new A05 compact hatchback on Wednesday, introducing high-end automated driving features and extended battery range to the ultra-budget segment. The vehicle, priced between 63,900 yuan and 90,900 yuan ($8,900 to $12,650), represents the second model built on the company’s global A-platform. It enters a fiercely contested Chinese electric vehicle market where low-cost domestic manufacturers continue to gain ground against foreign rivals, including Tesla Inc. The A05 comes equipped with optional LiDAR sensor arrays and Qualcomm high-performance computing chips. The combination enables advanced driver-assistance features, including memory parking, trajectory reversing, and point-to-point automated navigation….