Some frustrating quirks may affect bonding but you’ll soon get the hang of it.
This mid-size electric SUV faces tough competition but reminds me of Don Quixote fighting windmills when you start or turn it off by tapping the driver’s side mirror.
The C10 Range-Extended Electric Vehicle (REREEV) differs from most competitors where the engine propels the wheels. This 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine doesn’t mechanically drive the car but extends the range by recharging the battery as charge levels drop, to ensure that the electric motor continues to provide propulsion. The 145km electric propulsion is great for daily commuting and achieving a range of 1000km or more with the help of the petrol motor is impressive.
The heart is a 28.4kWh lithium-iron-(LFP) battery paired with a 158kW rear-mounted electric motor generating 320Nm. This helps with a heavy car weighing about 1950kg due to the combined mass of the battery, generator, and supporting hardware. Accelerating from 0-100km is slower than most competitors but adequate in my opinion.
Well priced with clever technology but too sluggish when connecting your phone or when interfacing. Silent commuting and faultless interior quality do score some princess points. Physical buttons are few which takes your eyes off the road. It is not a PC, so some software engineers need to grasp the reality of safe driving. Trying to talk to it is extremely frustrating. This car requires time to understand as it is not intuitive enough. Coming from someone who have driven over a thousand test cars it is rare to face patience challenging technology. Safety systems include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, autonomous emergency braking and a full suite of modern driver-assistance technologies.
Buyers who enjoy quirkiness, value, comfort, and futuristic design, the C10 makes a compelling argument. I think the engineers need to refine the C 10 to enhance so many brilliant characteristics.
www.leapmotor.net
