Leapmotor CEO Zhu Jiangming confirms they aim to be the “Apple of cars” and are already developing another revolutionary brand “like the iPhone”.

20/09/2026 12:30

Updated to

20/09/2026 12:30

Leapmotor no longer wants to be limited to competing with technologically advanced and relatively affordable electric cars. Zhu Jiangming, the CEO of the Chinese manufacturer, has set a much bigger ambition: to turn his company into a kind of “Apple of the automotive industry.”

In fact, this comparison is not just a marketing slogan. During the Leapmotor Technology Day 2026, Zhu explained that the company is preparing a second brand whose first vehicle will feature the new LEAP 5.0 architecture. It will be unveiled and start shipping in the fourth quarter of 2027, and according to the executive, it aims to transform the car experience in a way comparable to the shift from traditional phones to smartphones.

Leapmotor aims to do with cars what Apple did with phones

Zhu turned directly to Apple to explain the philosophy behind the project. He noted that the American company did not invent technologies such as wireless communication, computers, touchscreens, digital cameras, or MP3 players on its own, but rather its major contribution was integrating them into a product and ecosystem capable of transforming the user experience. Leapmotor intends to apply this approach to automobiles.

The company’s founder believes that although new energy vehicles have completely transformed propulsion systems, many still retain exteriors and interior layouts relatively similar to those of traditional cars. The advancement of autonomous driving should change this situation. As drivers need to intervene less, Leapmotor thinks the car can evolve into something more than just a means of transportation. “When we introduce our second brand, you’ll see it as a mobile space, a complete entity,” Zhu said.

The first product from this new brand will use LEAP 5.0, the next generation of the company’s technological architecture. Leapmotor has not yet revealed the brand name, the price of its first car, or its specifications, but it has set the launch and initial deliveries for the last three months of 2027.

A new generation of technology and driver assistance

Leapmotor used its tech showcase to introduce ‘LWM’ (short for ‘Leapmotor World Model’), its new driving assistance system based on an artificial intelligence model trained with large amounts of data. This technology is part of a vertical integration strategy that Leapmotor has been using for years.

The company develops much of the most valuable components for its vehicles in-house, ensuring that self-developed elements account for approximately 65% of the total cost of a car. Its previous technologies include Cell-to-Chassis systems, centralized electronic architectures, and highly integrated propulsion units.

The leap to a second milestone comes at a completely different time compared to Leapmotor’s early years. In 2025, the company delivered nearly 600,000 vehicles, more than double the previous year’s figure, and by June of this year it had delivered over 1.5 million cars since its founding. In August, it set another record with 103,129 units delivered in a single month, exceeding 100,000 for the second consecutive month.

Its growth is also evident in Spain

Spain will play a particularly important role in that growth. Leapmotor has just begun pre-production of the B10 at Stellantis’ factory in Zaragoza ahead of mass production, and the partnership between the two companies aims to further increase European output. Stellantis also holds a 51% stake in Leapmotor International, the company responsible for the brand’s operations outside China.

Building on this foundation, Zhu Jiangming now wants to pursue a much more ambitious transformation. The goal is no longer merely to sell more cars or expand internationally, but to develop a new type of vehicle based on LEAP 5.0 and a second brand. It will take until the end of 2027 to see if the outcome truly approaches the revolution brought about by the iPhone, but Leapmotor has already made clear what standards it has set for itself.