Leapmotor does not believe electric vehicles will account for 100% of sales.

Even with more customers choosing electric vehicles, Leapmotor still sees room for hybrids in the European market.

Danilo Annese, CEO of Leapmotor International and head of markets outside China, believes that fully electric cars will continue to gain customers, but they won’t be the choice for everyone.

During a Q&A session with journalists at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, where Razão Automóvel was present, the executive ruled out the possibility of a completely electric market.

For the next two to three years, Leapmotor will maintain two technologies as pillars of its strategy: electric and hybrid. Annese does not plan to add models that run solely on gasoline or diesel to the brand’s lineup.

He expects fully electric models to continue accounting for a significant portion of Leapmotor’s European sales. He also mentioned a recent change in buyer behavior in countries such as Italy and Spain, where adoption of this technology has been lower.

When asked about the impact of European policies on this growth, he acknowledged that they have helped increase the availability of electric cars. Regarding buyer choices, he believes “adoption is happening naturally on its own.”

Those who switch to electric tend to stay

Annese was also asked about the impact of fuel prices on electric vehicle sales. The question was whether growth could be sustained if gasoline and diesel became cheaper again.

He admitted he didn’t know how the market would react to such a drop, but highlighted the behavior of customers who have already made the switch.

In his view, higher fuel prices are prompting some buyers to consider an alternative they hadn’t thought about before. Then, the driving experience can convince them to stay with electric vehicles.

Danilo Annese, CEO of Leapmotor International

Annese presented this assessment as an observation of buyer behavior, without providing a percentage to quantify how many remain committed to this technology. “I think once they join the club, they won’t go back. That’s what I observe.”