Range-extended electric vehicles are having their moment and nowhere more so than China. There, ‘REEV’ or ‘EREV’ models are booming because they answer a very real consumer objection: not range anxiety so much as charging anxiety.
The recipe is simple. Drive the wheels with an electric motor for the quiet, punchy, one-pedal EV experience, then carry a small petrol engine that, rather than powering the wheels, acts as a generator to top up the battery when needed. Remember the Vauxhall Ampera of last decade, anyone? Or the BMW i3?
Today that formula has helped create some of China’s hottest family SUVs. And the direction of travel is clear: Reuters reported 2024 sales growth for extended-range EVs and plug-in hybrids far outpaced pure EV growth in China, with manufacturers piling in to meet demand for long-range electrified cars.
Leapmotor’s C10 REEV is that fulfilling that trend, translating it for UK roads. It is in fact the first REEV to be sold in the UK.
The C10 REEV is a mid-size, D-segment SUV that is, in day-to-day driving, an electric car. Propulsion comes from a rear-mounted 158kW electric motor driving the rear wheels. The key difference versus the C10 BEV – which hit UK roads last February – is what happens when the battery runs low.
Instead of sending the driver hunting for a rapid charger, the C10 REEV fires up a 1.5-litre petrol engine that spins a generator to make electricity. There’s no actual mechanical connection from engine to wheels.
Leapmotor positions it as the “best of both worlds” option: the smoothness and responsiveness of an EV, plus the long-distance confidence of liquid refuelling.
How the REEV system works
At its launch at the back end of 2025, Tianyue Zhong, Leapmotor’s global head of product, made a straightforward case: the barrier holding back EV adoption is often charging confidence, not whether the vehicle can physically go far enough.
The C10 REEV is meant to remove the wait. On a long run, you can simply stop, refuel, and continue, instead of building your journey around rapid-charging dwell time.
Mechanically, the story is a smaller 28.4kWh battery than its BEV sibling offering 90 miles of electric range (WLTP); a 1.5-litre petrol engine to generate electricity, either feeding the motor and/or maintaining the battery’s state of charge.
The combination offers a significant leap in total range. With petrol and electricity working together, Leapmotor quotes 603 miles (WLTP) combined.
If that sounds like a pitch for a plug-in hybrid, listen again. A typical PHEV starts life as a combustion platform that’s been electrified, which usually means a smaller battery and shorter EV range.
A REEV however starts life with an EV architecture, then adds an auxiliary energy source. In theory you keep the EV character, and you still get proper plug-in capability.
Battery modes that let you plan
Leapmotor also gives drivers control over when the engine intervenes through selectable energy modes.
EV+: prioritises EV running with the range extender holding off until battery state of charge is below 9%; EV: EV-first, but with the range extender stepping in below a 25% battery charge; Fuel: where a pre-set threshold allows the driver to “bank” electric miles for a clean-air zone or city centre at the end of a trip, and finally, Power+: where the range extender runs continuously for maximum performance. In plain terms, it lets you decide whether petrol is a last resort or part of the plan.
That last point is important for REEV positioning: REEVs can be a stepping-stone. While owners often buy them for peace of mind, they discover that charging is actually easier than feared and because electricity is cheaper than petrol, they will find themselves plugging in more often than not. The idea is that REEVs build familiarity and nudge buyers towards BEVs next time.
Charging and running costs
Because it’s fundamentally an EV, the C10 REEV still expects you to plug in. It supports 65kW DC charging from 30% to 80% in 18 minutes and a 6.6kW onboard charger for a full charge at home in around 4.5 hours.
For UK buyers, the headline numbers are designed to land. Leapmotor prices the C10 REEV at £36,500 OTR and keeps the range simple with a single trim “everything as standard” strategy.
Leapmotor lists 38g/km CO₂ and a 6% BiK rate for 2025/26, which should put it firmly on the radar for drivers who want a company-car-friendly alternative to a PHEV, without having to bet the farm on public charging.
Where the value story lands
The C10 REEV’s “one trim, fully loaded” approach is the ultimate clean proposition: pay the price, pick your paint, job done. Leapmotor says the REEV shares the same design, cabin and overall layout as the C10 BEV, to the point that the fuel flap is the main visual giveaway. That matters because this is not being sold as a compromise drivetrain. It is being sold as the same car, with an added layer of flexibility.
Leapmotor UK managing director Damien Dally explains that the high level spec across the recently launched B10 and C10 family was a purposeful choice: coming as they do with panoramic roof; heated and ventilated seats; 20-inch alloys; 14.6-inch central touchscreen plus 10.25-inch driver display; 12-speaker, 840W audio system; a suite of ADAS features and a 5-star Euro NCAP rating to boot.
Verdict: who is it for?
The C10 REEV makes most sense for buyers who like the way EVs drive but are not yet ready to organise their life around charging. If your use-case is mostly local mileage with occasional long motorway runs, it offers a credible “electric-first” option with a genuine long-distance safety net.
It is also a very China-native answer to a very European problem: the mismatch between rising EV ambition and uneven charging infrastructure.
In that context, Zhong’s “future-proof” argument matters. If the industry believes higher-level ADAS and software-defined features play best on EV architectures, a REEV that is BEV-based, rather than an ICE platform with a battery bolted on, is an interesting middle ground.
If buyers are willing to plug in regularly but want a plan B for motorway mileage, the C10 REEV is one of the most convincing routes into electrification at this price point.