Chinese automaker Leapmotor is removing the 12-volt battery from its future electric cars, relying solely on the high-voltage battery. The new approach is part of a broader redesign of the company’s technical architecture, which will increase cars’ interior space.
While electric cars have a high-voltage battery to feed their electric motor(s), they also have a traditional 12-volt battery, just like ICE cars. This small battery powers the onboard electrical system. It powers things like the door locks, lights, and wipers, and also the contacts that isolate the high-voltage system when the car is not in use.
But 12V batteries are also among the most common causes of breakdowns, even in EVs. Figures from mobility organizations like the German ADAC and the Dutch ANWB show that. That is one reason, along with complexity reduction and packaging, that Leapmotor wants the high-voltage battery to take over the 12V battery’s tasks.
New battery technology
The move to drop a 12-volt battery will begin with new models revealed in 2027. Leapmotor made this announcement during its Tech Day in Huzhou. The Chinese car manufacturer is not banning the car’s low-voltage system, only the 12-volt battery itself. The car’s ‘big’ battery will take over its function.
The battery responsible for this technical feat will be the Leapmotor CTC 3.0 High-Low Fusion Battery. The cells are built directly into the chassis (CTC) and can deliver both high-voltage power for the drive unit and low-voltage power for other tasks.
The drive battery will provide about 7 times the low-voltage capacity of a traditional 12V battery. Moreover, this approach will make the car more maintenance-free, since the battery will not need to be replaced during the car’s lifetime, unlike 12-volt batteries.
Completely new vehicle architecture
The new battery pack is part of a broader redesign of Leapmotor’s architecture, dubbed LEAP 5.0 New Mobile Space Architecture. It is designed to increase interior space by reducing the number of parts used (such as removing the separate 12V battery) and adopting a new layout.
The new layout includes moving the motor to the back, better integration of the air-conditioning unit, cell-to-chassis technology for a lower, completely flat floor and more headroom, and a redesigned suspension. This should result in 19% more interior space than current vehicles with comparable outside measurements.
Coming to Europe?
Stellantis has a 21% stake in Leapmotor and 51% of Leapmotor International, which holds the rights to produce and sell Leapmotor cars outside China. The new platform could therefore have a big impact in Europe as well.
The brand itself has big ambitions in Europe, and will even build the B10 in Spain. On top of that, Stellantis is likely using the B10’s components to develop a future Opel C-segment SUV.
But it’s unclear whether any European cars coming in the short term will use the new technology. It might even be unlikely given the timing of their release and the introduction of the new technology. But in the long run, it could simplify production and maintenance if the technology works as intended.
