Leapmotor Founder Hands Over D99 MPV to CATL Chairman Zeng Yuqun
Leapmotor founder Zhu Jiangming personally delivered the company's first MPV, the D99, to CATL chairman Zeng Yuqun on August 7.
- 480 km
- 700 km
- over 460 kW
- 115 kWh
What Happened
In an August 7 social-media post, Leapmotor said founder Zhu Jiangming had handed the D99 in person to Zeng Yuqun, who chairs battery maker CATL. Launched in June, the D99 is Leapmotor's first MPV and the second car on its D platform after the flagship D19 SUV. The delivery plugs a hole in its high-end MPV range, pairing a flagship SUV with a flagship MPV and marking a push across every price tier from mass-market to luxury. Six configurations are offered.
Leapmotor launches the D99 MPV, its first MPV built on the D platform
Zhu Jiangming delivers the D99 to CATL chairman Zeng Yuqun
- 249,800–309,800 yuan; 80.3 kWh LFP battery; 480 km CLTC range; 800V charging, 30–80% in ~15 min
- 259,800–319,800 yuan; 115 kWh molecular-level fusion hybrid battery; 700 km CLTC range; 1,000V architecture, >460 kW pea
480 km
Longest CLTC pure electric range of any range-extended MPV globally.
It measures 5,280 mm long, 1,995 mm wide and 1,900 mm tall (dropping to 1,880 mm when the air suspension is lowered), on a 3,110 mm wheelbase, with 91.3% of the interior rated usable. Dual-motor all-wheel drive is standard, and the seven seats sit in a 2+2+3 layout. The highlight is the second row: two 124 degree zero-gravity 'aviation' swivel seats that turn 45 degrees for getting in, 90 degrees into a viewing pose, or a full 180 degrees to face one another, plus four-way powered leg rests, a 10-point massage, 3D wrap-around heating and twin ventilation. Row three keeps heated seats with powered backrests and headrests, and a 90 degree electric fold that makes the space what Leapmotor dubs a 'scenic viewing seat'.
Why this matters
The handover is Leapmotor's debut in the MPV class and gives it a flagship to sit beside the D19 SUV, stretching the brand from mass-market to luxury. The D99 also shows off CATL-linked technology, among it the first cell-to-chassis battery in a range-extended MPV, a draw for big families and business travellers who want long all-electric range.
Terms in This Story
- Range-extended
- A type of electric vehicle that uses an internal combustion engine solely to recharge the battery, extending driving range beyond pure battery capacity.
- Cell-to-chassis (CTC)
- A battery architecture where battery cells are integrated directly into the vehicle chassis to save space and weight.
- CLTC
- China Light-duty Vehicle Test Cycle, the standard used in China to measure fuel consumption and electric range.
- MPV
- Multi-Purpose Vehicle, a car type designed to carry multiple passengers, typically with three rows of seats.
A brief summary; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.