Leapmotor delivers record 103,129 vehicles in August, up 80.7%

Leapmotor crossed 100,000 monthly deliveries for a second straight month as the Stellantis-backed Chinese EV maker pushes toward its 1 million-unit annual target.

Leapmotor delivered 103,129 vehicles globally in August, up 80.7 percent from a year earlier, cementing its place among the top four new-energy passenger-vehicle brands worldwide as Chinese EV makers extend their production lead.

Assisted-driving products built on the new architecture will represent a "leapfrog improvement" over the existing system, Chief Financial Officer Li Tengfei said last month.

August marked the fifth straight monthly record and the second consecutive month above 100,000 units, though sequential growth slowed to 1.84 percent from 8.45 percent in July. Deliveries in the first eight months reached 560,883 vehicles, up 70.55 percent year on year, or about 56.1 percent of the full-year target of 1 million.

To hit that target, Leapmotor must deliver another 439,117 vehicles in the final four months, an average of about 109,779 a month. The company is leaning on new models and overseas expansion, with management now expecting about 200,000 overseas sales in 2026, up from a prior range of 100,000 to 150,000.

The record month puts Leapmotor (HKEX: 9863) in the top four global passenger new-energy vehicle brands and the top three Chinese brands by comparable end-user registration volumes, the company said Tuesday. That places it behind BYD, the world's largest EV maker, and ahead of peers including XPeng, Nio and Li Auto in the monthly delivery race.

New Models and Overseas Push Carry the Growth

New models are a key lever for sustaining momentum. The A05 compact sedan launched Aug. 11 with a starting price of 63,900 yuan ($9,420), becoming the second product on the A platform after the A10 SUV, which hit a 100,000-unit production milestone 135 days after launch. At the Chengdu Auto Show in August, Leapmotor handed over the 100,000th A10 to its owner.

The company will hold its annual technology event Sept. 16, unveiling a world-model-based assisted-driving system along with advances in battery and electric-drive technologies. It also launched a limited-time September promotion offering combined incentives worth as much as 57,379 yuan covering vehicle options, charging and financing.

Overseas markets remain a growth driver. The B10 and C10 global models entered Argentina in August, tapping Stellantis' sales and service network, and Leapmotor signed an agreement last month with China FAW to deepen a strategic partnership spanning 10 areas.

The delivery surge reflects a broader trend of Chinese EV makers scaling production and entering international markets, intensifying competitive pressure on established automakers from Tesla to Volkswagen. Leapmotor's ability to hold monthly volumes above 100,000 units will be the test as it pushes toward the 1 million annual target, with battery technology, pricing and global distribution now the battlegrounds.

Leapmotor shares, listed in Hong Kong, have tracked the sector's strength as investors reward delivery growth. The August performance, if sustained, would put the company on pace to roughly double 2025 volumes, a trajectory that shows the widening gap between fast-scaling Chinese EV brands and legacy automakers still transitioning their lineups.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.