A thoughtful and cost-effective partner for home use Trial of the new LEAPMOTOR C11

If you are asked to choose a mid-size SUV with extended range between 150,000 and 200,000 yuan, it is amazing if you can name three of them. The reason is that there are too few models to choose from in this range. After all, at this level, there are more things to consider. But there is a brand that does not follow the usual path. It actually has two products in this market segment, which are the LEAPMOTOR twin brothers C10 and C11. The protagonist we are going to test drive today is one of them, the new LEAPMOTOR C11 (parameters | inquiry). As for its performance, I want to say that it is really too...

■ 10 seconds to get a quick look at the new Zero Run C11

★Based on the new Cloverleaf centrally integrated electrical and electronic architecture

★Pure electric range of 300 kilometres

★Standard with triple screen + Snapdragon 8295 chip

★The Smart Driving Edition is equipped with the Orin-X chip with an arithmetic power of 254Tops.

★New Pine Arash Grey exterior colour and Camel Brown interior colour

★Pure electric version adds front and rear dual FSD variable damping dampers for better support and comfort.
■ Exterior continuation of the current model styling

　　The new LEAPMOTOR C11 has not changed much compared to the current model, and in the current trend of technology and futuristic sense, the appearance of LEAPMOTOR C11 can be said to be slightly conservative. Without too much radical or sporty design, it still brings people a kind of easy-going first impression, like a good partner at home.
Depending on the configuration, the LEAPMOTOR C11 Extended Range Edition offers two sizes of tyres, with the Smart Edition model being 235/60 R18, while the Premium Edition and the Smart Driving Edition are both 255/45 R20.Our test car today is equipped with the latter, which is a tyre specially designed for new energy vehicles.In addition to the low rolling resistance, it also has noise reduction and a certain amount of self-repairing, and it now Prices on major e-commerce platforms are above $1,100.

■ Updated cockpit/standard 8295 chip

　　The interior is a bit more varied, featuring a layout in the form of three horizontal screens measuring 10.25 inches, 14.6 inches and 10.25 inches. The double-spoke steering wheel with oval air vent design looks recognisable. The interior comes with 15W wireless charging for mobile phones and multiple USB ports. The new car also offers FACE ID function with 30 function memory linkage.
　The frameless doors are my favourite feature, once upon a time it was only available on a very few cars, and I believe it's a very handsome feature in many people's minds. In addition, its front row also uses double-layer laminated glass to further enhance the quietness of the car. Another is the front row of both sides of the door panel storage slot, it does not affect the case of putting a water bottle, adding a cover, but also let the car's private space more than one point.
　In terms of optional equipment, the Extended Range 300 Premium and Smart Driving Edition can be equipped with a Nappa steering wheel, heated steering wheel, Nappa leather seats, lumbar support + four-way power adjustment for the main driver, and front seat massage for 5,000 RMB.

■ Easy to drive/tougher suspension performance
　　Power, we test drive this time is its range-extended version of the model, it is to a maximum power of 95 hp 1.5L range-extended engine, driving a single motor is rear-mounted, its maximum power is 272 hp, the peak torque of 360 Nm, compared to the main competitors in the data is advantageous.
In terms of the battery pack, it comes with 30.1 and 43.74kWh battery packs depending on the configuration, with a pure electric range of 200 and 300km under CLTC conditions, and a combined range of 1,110 and 1,210km respectively.

　　The Intelligent Driving Edition model is actually more interesting (but no test drive is available this time), the Intelligent Driving Edition, as the name suggests, is equipped with more hardware on intelligent driving, such as the Orin-X chip with an arithmetic power of 254Tops, which is also the current mainstream configuration, with powerful data processing capabilities, providing strong support for the intelligent driving of a stable and fast processing of various data.
　It is also equipped with a 128-line LIDAR from WoSai Technology, paired with 5 millimetre wave radars and 12 ultrasonic radars, which is a hardware pre-build that has basically pulled out all the stops. At present, like the mainstream high-speed intelligent navigation can also be successfully completed, but we did not experience this test drive route arrangement.
   In the driving experience level, 300 kilometres of pure electric range, if you buy the car can be completely as a pure electric model to drive, 300 kilometres basically can cover the first and second tier cities weekday commuting, can do a weekly charge. In most cases, driving it is the same as a pure electric model, the characteristics of the electric motor make it whether it is the start of acceleration or medium and high speed overtaking can give you a very smooth and easy feeling.

   The entire power form, but also decided to LEAPMOTOR C11 (parameters | has a faster sense of speed and smoothness, daily comfort mode drive LEAPMOTOR C11 will not have that very agile sense of speed, even if we occasionally slightly deep more step on the accelerator pedal, the kind of acceleration that it feeds back will not be too strong. Will not give the driver and passenger to bring uncomfortable feeling, biased towards domestic comfort tuned linear output in the daily use of the car to give it a good review.
   And when you really need the power output, the electric motor's almost latency-free feel doesn't let it hesitate for a second. Whether you're travelling at home with the kids, or you want to drive faster to get rid of the fatigue from work once in a while after work, this car is capable of adapting to your driving habits.
  As a mid-sized SUV with frameless doors, the sound insulation and noise reduction I feel is at the average level for its class, with the noise of the daily motor work being more thoroughly isolated. It's more the noise of the 1.5L engine in fuel-first mode that carries a bit too much noise into the interior, as well as wind noise at high speeds.
Suspension is the new LEAPMOTOR C11's area of strength, the front double-wishbone rear five-link, which in the era of fuel cars can be standard 300,000 + models will be equipped, visible LEAPMOTOR in the C11 car for the chassis is still a lot of effort. In the passing of small bumps, the chassis can be relatively excellent resolution, and showed a certain toughness. However, the rear riding experience is not as good as the front, sitting in the back row can still feel the rear suspension for fine bumps filtering is not complete, especially when walking on gravel roads.

● Editor's Comment:

　　In the past March, LEAPMOTOR delivered 14,567 units and 33,410 units in the first quarter, which is the fifth consecutive year of high growth according to LEAPMOTOR's 2023 financial report. And in this month's opening of the Beijing auto show, will also join hands with the new product debut. Coupled with the previously signed cooperation with Huawei Hongmeng, this year will be a year of accelerated power of the zero run car.

　　Back to the new LEAPMOTOR C11 products, it is further improved in the intelligent cockpit, the new 8295 chip on the car brings a better experience. In addition, when daily driving, the support and comfort of the suspension is good, and the filtering of broken road bumps is satisfactory. All things considered, it's still a recommendable car in this price range.