In September 2025, Leapmotor delivered 66,657 new cars in a single month, becoming the first new energy vehicle brand to break 60,000 units in monthly sales, and also topping the sales charts for new energy vehicles for seven consecutive months.
On October 16, 2025, Leapmotor held a flagship D platform technology launch event and the global debut of the D19 in Shanghai.
It is understood that as a key step in Leapmotor's brand upgrade, the D series is defined as the "flagship among flagships". The D19 is equipped with top-of-the-line configurations such as a dual-vector three-motor system, an 80-degree large battery + small fuel tank range extender solution, and a Qualcomm 8797 chip. The cooperative suppliers include industry leaders such as Bosch, ZF, and CATL.
With Leapmotor's product line targeting the high-end market, people are wondering if, after its rapid sales growth, Leapmotor is also preparing to pursue high-margin products.
The day after the press conference, Zhu Jiangming, founder, chairman and CEO of Leapmotor Technology, along with his core management team, emphasized in a media interview that Leapmotor's brand positioning has not changed. "We still adhere to the principle of 'good but not expensive.' The D series is a high-end product, not a luxury brand. The pricing strategy is consistent with the B and C series, pricing based on cost and not pursuing high gross margins."
Zhu Jiangming, founder, chairman and CEO of Leapmotor Technology
Why doesn't Leapmotor pursue high gross margins? Zhu Jiangming cited two examples of clothing brands to demonstrate that pursuing economies of scale can generate more profit than pursuing high gross margins.
He said, "I'm wearing Zegna, but you can check it out. This brand earns far less money than Uniqlo every year."
Zegna is an Italian brand that aims to develop in the world's top menswear market, while Uniqlo is a Japanese brand that provides casual wear to all consumers at low prices. As soon as Zhu Jiangming finished speaking, Cao Li, Senior Vice President of Leapmotor Technology sitting next to him, added, "I just checked AI; Zegna's net profit last year was approximately 700 million yuan, while Uniqlo's net profit last year was 17.6 billion yuan."
Cao Li, Senior Vice President of Leapmotor Technology
So, why can Leapmotor's products be "good but not expensive"? Cao Li's answer is: full self-developed technologies are the core advantage. Because Leapmotor masters core architecture technologies, it can efficiently collaborate and match with suppliers, while optimizing its cost structure through technological innovation.
Zhu Jiangming cited an example: the integrated electric drive generator system jointly developed with ZF achieves "one machine, two uses," reducing weight while eliminating the need for an electric drive and controller, saving thousands of yuan in costs alone. Furthermore, the first application of CTC technology in range-extended vehicles and innovations such as integrating the exhaust pipe into the door sill beam allow the D series to achieve an optimal balance between space and safety while carrying an 80 kWh battery.
"The key to sales growth lies in product strength. We rely on our technological capabilities to make good products, coupled with reasonable pricing, and users will naturally buy them," Zhu Jiangming added.
It is understood that, in terms of technology, Leapmotor adheres to the strategy of "following and then surpassing". In terms of channels, Leapmotor will focus on first- and second-tier core cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and set up high-end stores adapted to the D series, while maintaining its advantages in lower-tier markets.
It's worth noting that at this D-series launch event, Leapmotor used Fei Xiang as its brand ambassador for the first time, breaking away from its traditionally low-key "engineering guy" image. Cao Li explained that this was a "precise choice to improve communication efficiency." Fei Xiang's professionalism, dedication, and understated yet powerful presence perfectly align with Leapmotor's brand philosophy of pursuing technological excellence, better conveying its "superior products + sincere reputation" car manufacturing concept.
Therefore, Zhu Jiangming is very confident about the market outlook for 2026. According to him, Leapmotor will achieve its annual target of 500,000 vehicles ahead of schedule this year, and will usher in a product boom next year, planning to launch 2-3 new products in the D series and 2 products in the A series. However, he still declined to reveal the specific timetable for achieving the target of 1 million vehicles, because "Leapmotor does not pursue temporary sales leadership, but relies on continuous efforts to reach the finish line."
