Leapmotor's Zhu Jiangming: Full-Stack In-House R&D Drives Cost Optimization and Tech Breakthrough

At the China Auto Forum held on July 22, 2026, Zhu Jiangming, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Leapmotor Technology, stated that amid intensifying homogenized competition in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market, only technological innovation can enable companies to break through. He noted that by 2026, NEVs had already captured over 63% of the market share. Zhu recalled the early days after Leapmotor launched its first model, the S01, in 2019, when monthly sales barely exceeded 100 units. He emphasized the company’s consistent strategy of leveraging technology to reduce costs and improve gross margins without compromising vehicle specifications. Today, Leapmotor has established a full-stack in-house R&D system covering batteries, electric drive, electronic control, intelligent cockpits, and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), and is progressively extending its self-manufacturing capabilities to traditional components such as compressors, seats, and bumpers. Leveraging its core component self-development advantages, Leapmotor has rapidly transitioned to an 800V high-voltage platform. All models in its C and B series now adopt silicon carbide-based high-voltage solutions, placing Leapmotor among the industry leaders in terms of the number of vehicles capable of high-voltage fast charging on the road. Additionally, the company has built a localized industrial cluster within a 20-kilometer radius in Jinhua, enabling 70% of large components to be sourced nearby—significantly reducing logistics and manufacturing costs. Moreover, Leapmotor now offers external automakers bundled platform-based core component solutions. Partners adopting these solutions can save at least RMB 1,000–2,000 per vehicle while benefiting from faster delivery and higher quality assurance. This business model is emerging as a new growth driver for the company. As of June 18, 2026, Leapmotor’s cumulative global deliveries surpassed 1.5 million units. The first 500,000 units took 64 months to deliver, the second 500,000 were achieved in just 12 months, and the third 500,000 required only 8 months. Zhu revealed that Leapmotor’s fifth-generation electronic/electrical (E/E) architecture will focus on AI agents integrating vehicle and cloud systems. The company plans to unveil breakthroughs across four key areas at its technology launch event in September 2026. “Market leadership in sales comes from technology, and superior quality also stems from technology,” he said.