Arnold Clark confirms partnership with new Chinese franchise Leapmotor

Arnold Clark has confirmed it has partnered with the new Chinese brand Leapmotor franchise in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Perth and Aberdeen.

AM reported before the end of last year that Arnold Clark would likely be one of the first partners for Leapmotor as the brand ramped up its plans to establish 50 locations across the UK.

Leapmotor is a Chinese electric vehicle company, that designs, develops, manufactures and sells intelligent electric vehicles.

The brand currently has two electric vehicles available in the UK – the T03, a compact city car which offers a range of 165 miles, and the C10, a mid-sized SUV with a range of 261 miles. Prices start from £15,995.  

Stellantis established a joint venture with Leapmotor in October 2023 after investing approximately €1.5 billion (£1.2bn) in acquiring 21% of the business.

The partnership between both brands has established the Leapmotor International joint venture, which is aimed at expanding the Chinese manufacturer’s reach outside its domestic market.

Sales of Leapmotor models will be through a traditional franchised dealership model, and only Stellantis brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Vauxhall, and Maserati dealers will be appointed Leapmotor franchise points.

David Boyd, brand director at Arnold Clark, said: “With more and more motorists choosing to go electric, we're very excited to welcome Leapmotor to the Arnold Clark family and offer our customers even more choice.  

"Leapmotor is an innovative and forward-thinking brand, so we're looking forward to showcasing their cars and their amazing features in our branches."

Damien Dally, brand director for Leapmotor in the UK, added: “I am delighted to welcome Arnold Clark to Leapmotor, extending their broad range of Stellantis group brands to their portfolio.  

“I wish all of the Arnold Clark team and future Leapmotor customers great success for the exciting future as we roll out our range of high-tech, high-value models.”

Since its inception, Leapmotor now ranks as the fourth-largest new energy vehicle startup by sales in China, selling over 400,000 electric vehicles, a milestone its chief executive Zhu Jiangming said was a sign of Leapmotor’s readiness to enter the European market.