Leapmotor Lafa5 racks up 12,000 overseas orders in first four months

Leapmotor has announced a strong start for its Lafa5 electric hatchback in overseas markets, with global orders topping 12,000 in just four months after its international launch. The company says this is the fastest order growth it has recorded for any model following an overseas launch.

The Lafa5 is a sporty, all-electric hatchback aimed at international buyers. Here's a look at its design, equipment and performance, and what it could offer if it comes to Malaysia.

Exterior

The Lafa5 is available in six exterior colours, with a design that puts the emphasis on a low roofline and sporty proportions.

The front end features a closed grille and slim, segmented daytime running lights. An active grille shutter system, black front splitter and sculpted bonnet complete the look.

A roof-mounted LiDAR sensor is one of the more notable features, pointing to the advanced driver assistance hardware. The sides feature six small blue lights, frameless doors, flush door handles and gloss-black B-pillars.

The car rides on 19-inch alloy wheels and comes in colours including Electric Yellow and Wind Grey. It measures 4,430 mm long, 1,880 mm wide and 1,520 mm tall, with a 2,735 mm wheelbase. Its width-to-height ratio is 1.237, giving it a broad, low-profile stance.

At the rear, a full-width tail-light strip sits beneath the sloping roofline and rear spoiler. Much of the rear bumper is finished in gloss black, with a diffuser below.

Interior

The cabin comes in three colour schemes: Speed Purple, Shadow Grey and Racing Grey.

All variants get matte black gunmetal-look trim. The dashboard houses a 14.6-inch 2.5K central touchscreen and an 8.8-inch digital instrument display. The steering wheel has a flat-bottomed, two-spoke design, while the gear selector is mounted on the steering column.

Seat upholstery differs between versions. Standard models have perforations inspired by Tetris blocks, while higher-spec versions use a combination of leather and faux suede with a track-inspired pattern. The headlining also carries the Lafa5-specific badge.

Infotainment and driver assistance

The infotainment system runs Leapmotor OS 4.0 Plus on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8295 chip. It includes a 3D home screen, split-screen functionality and voice assistance powered by two AI models. Huawei HiCar and Carlink are supported for smartphone connectivity.

The standard audio system has 12 speakers. Leapmotor claims a 50% improvement in bass transient response, an 80% improvement in full-range clarity and three times the vocal separation. The car also has microphone-free karaoke and three ambient lighting modes: Light and Shadow, Dynamic and Canon.

Higher-spec versions add roof-mounted LiDAR and 30 sensing components, backed by an NVIDIA DRIVE Orin processor with 254 TOPS of computing power. The driver assistance system supports Navigation Assist Cruise (NAC) in urban areas without relying on high-definition maps, along with traffic light recognition and automated turning.

Cabin space and battery safety

The front seats offer extensive electric adjustment and can fold back to a more reclined position. Rear passengers get a centre armrest and charging ports, while the space beneath the centre console can be used for storage.

The wide body is also designed to give rear passengers more room across the cabin than competing models in the same class.

The Lafa5 uses Leapmotor's CTC 2.0 battery-to-chassis integration technology. According to the company, the system can prevent thermal runaway from spreading for up to 720 minutes.

Its module-free battery arrangement, referred to as a "zero-pressure" design, increases the space available for the battery by 17.5%. Leapmotor also claims a 15% range advantage over comparable models.

Other features include a panoramic glass roof, wireless phone charging, rear air-conditioning vents and vehicle-to-load (V2L) power output.

Performance, range and charging

The Lafa5 has a rear-mounted, oil-cooled electric drive producing 160kW (around 218PS) and 360Nm of torque. Leapmotor quotes a 0–100km/h acceleration time of 6.8 seconds.

The car has a claimed 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, and its chassis has been tuned by Stellantis' European engineering team.

Buyers can choose between two lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs: 56.2kWh and 67.1kWh. The respective CLTC-rated ranges are 515km and 605km.

All versions use an 800V high-voltage architecture. Leapmotor says this improves charging efficiency by 30%, with five minutes of charging adding up to 200km of range.

A 10–80% charge takes less than 15 minutes. The company also claims the battery retains 85% of its range in low-temperature conditions.

Could it come to Malaysia?

Leapmotor has yet to confirm a Malaysian launch for the Lafa5. However, with more than 12,000 overseas orders in its first four months, the model has made a promising start in international markets.

If it reaches Malaysia, the Lafa5 would bring a combination of sporty hatchback styling, a feature-rich cabin, advanced driver assistance and 800V fast charging to the local EV market. Pricing and local specifications would be key to determining how competitive it could be.