Leapmotor has revealed a new generation of electric vehicle technology that could significantly change how its future cars are designed.
The Chinese automaker introduced its LEAP 5.0 New Mobile Space Architecture together with its latest CTC 3.0 High-Low Fusion Battery technology.
Both systems are designed for the company’s next generation of vehicles beginning in 2027.
One of the most unusual changes is the elimination of the traditional separate 12-volt auxiliary battery found in nearly every modern passenger vehicle.
Instead, Leapmotor intends to integrate both high-voltage propulsion and low-voltage vehicle functions within its main battery system.
What Is LEAP 5.0?
LEAP 5.0 is Leapmotor’s next-generation vehicle architecture.
It has been developed to improve interior space, electrical efficiency, vehicle intelligence and manufacturing simplicity.
Modern electric vehicles contain significant amounts of wiring connecting sensors, computers, motors, lighting and other electronic systems.
Leapmotor says its new centralized architecture can reduce the total amount of wiring to less than 500 meters.
The company also says the wiring harness can become as much as 50% lighter.
Reducing wiring can provide several benefits.
Less material means lower weight, while a simplified electrical system can potentially improve manufacturing efficiency and reliability.
A New 48-Volt Electrical System
Another major change is the introduction of a 48-volt low-voltage electrical architecture.
Traditional vehicles typically use a 12-volt system for functions including lighting, locks, computers and various accessories.
Higher-voltage low-power systems can transmit the same amount of electrical power using less current.
That can allow manufacturers to use thinner wiring.
Leapmotor says the transition helps reduce the size and weight of the vehicle’s electrical network.
The system is also designed to work with the company’s centralized electronic architecture.
Together, these technologies could simplify future vehicle construction while supporting increasingly sophisticated software and driver-assistance systems.
The Separate 12-Volt Battery Disappears
Perhaps the most interesting innovation is the company’s CTC 3.0 High-Low Fusion Battery.
CTC stands for Cell-to-Chassis.
Rather than placing battery cells inside a conventional battery pack that is then mounted underneath the vehicle, cell-to-chassis technology integrates the battery more directly into the vehicle structure.
Leapmotor is taking that concept further.
CTC 3.0 combines high- and low-voltage electrical functions within the main battery system.
As a result, future vehicles using the technology will not require a conventional standalone 12-volt battery.
A power-conversion system will instead provide electricity from the main high-voltage battery to the vehicle’s low-voltage systems.
Why Cars Still Have 12-Volt Batteries
The idea might sound surprising because even fully electric vehicles generally continue to use a small 12-volt auxiliary battery.
That battery powers systems such as door locks, computers, lighting and control units.
It can also help activate the vehicle’s high-voltage battery system.
A failure of the auxiliary battery can sometimes prevent an otherwise fully charged electric vehicle from starting.
Leapmotor’s approach is designed to eliminate that separate component.
The manufacturer says doing so reduces weight, simplifies vehicle packaging and removes a maintenance item that typically requires replacement during a vehicle’s life.
Reserve Energy Even at Zero Percent
Removing the auxiliary battery introduces an obvious question.
What happens when the vehicle’s main battery reaches zero?
Leapmotor says the system keeps a small reserve of energy even when the dashboard indicates 0% state of charge.
That reserve can still power essential low-voltage systems.
Functions such as locking and unlocking the vehicle and managing its basic electronic systems can therefore continue operating.
The company combines energy distribution and thermal management through a unified battery management system.
More Interior Space
LEAP 5.0 is not only about electronics.
Leapmotor also redesigned several mechanical systems to create additional cabin space.
One important change combines the air-conditioning system with the rear-mounted electric powertrain.
According to the manufacturer, this configuration can increase usable cabin length by approximately 19%.
Leapmotor claims the design creates an additional 700 mm of space compared with its previous architecture.
At the same time, the integrated system reduces the number of components by around 18% and cuts piping requirements by approximately 30%.
More Room Around the Front Seats
Suspension packaging has also been modified.
Leapmotor uses a vertical shock absorber arrangement combined with an aluminum structural tower.
The company says this reduces intrusion into the passenger compartment.
As a result, front-row lateral legroom can increase by approximately 37.5%.
The new skateboard-style platform also creates a fully flat floor.
Leapmotor says interior height can increase by around 70 mm, or 63.7% compared with the area occupied by some components in its previous architecture.
The objective is to make the cabin feel more open without necessarily increasing the vehicle’s external dimensions.
Less Weight and Less Waste
Removing a traditional auxiliary battery also has environmental implications.
Most 12-volt automotive batteries still use lead-acid chemistry.
They are highly recyclable, but millions of units are produced and replaced every year.
Leapmotor argues that widespread use of its integrated battery design could reduce demand for these auxiliary batteries.
The company also says eliminating the component could reduce maintenance costs because owners would no longer need to replace it during normal vehicle ownership.
Whether other manufacturers eventually adopt similar systems remains to be seen.
First Vehicles Arrive in 2027
Leapmotor says its first vehicles using the new LEAP 5.0 and CTC 3.0 technologies will arrive beginning in 2027.
The company also plans to make the technology available across its global markets.
That is significant because Leapmotor is expanding rapidly outside China through Leapmotor International.
The international operation is a joint venture led by Stellantis, which owns 51%, while Leapmotor holds the remaining 49%.
The partnership gives Leapmotor access to Stellantis’ global distribution and service network.
Leapmotor Continues Its Global Expansion
Leapmotor currently sells several models internationally, including the compact T03, B10 SUV, C10 SUV and newer B05 hatchback.
Additional products are planned as the company expands its presence in Europe and other regions.
LEAP 5.0 could become an important part of that expansion.
Instead of competing only on vehicle price, Chinese automakers are increasingly attempting to differentiate themselves through battery systems, software, charging technology and vehicle architecture.
Leapmotor’s latest platform illustrates that shift.
A Small Component With a Big Impact
A traditional 12-volt battery may seem insignificant compared with the massive battery packs used by electric vehicles.
But removing it requires a fundamental redesign of how the vehicle distributes and manages electricity.
That makes Leapmotor’s CTC 3.0 technology particularly interesting.
Combined with lighter wiring, a 48-volt system and more efficient packaging, LEAP 5.0 could simplify the company’s future EVs while freeing additional space for passengers.
The first real test will come in 2027, when vehicles based on the architecture begin reaching customers.
If the technology works as intended, one of the oldest components still found in modern automobiles could eventually disappear from more electric vehicles.
