Zhu Jiangming stands apart among EV startup founders by avoiding hyperbolic claims of industry "firsts." While rivals chase technological supremacy through massive investments—boasting ever-higher charging voltages and cutting-edge autonomous driving systems—LEAPMOTOR’s CEO embraces a different philosophy. His company prioritizes strategic timing over being the absolute leader. "Our intelligent solutions may not be the most advanced, nor our manufacturing the most sophisticated," Zhu admits. "We follow trends deliberately, deploying innovations only when user demand aligns with technological maturity and cost efficiency." This pragmatic approach targets the mass market with universally appealing products priced competitively—a methodology less glamorous but increasingly effective.

For years, LEAPMOTOR operated in obscurity. During its first seven years, skepticism overshadowed the company, with some questioning its survival prospects as recently as three years ago. The turning point came in March 2022 when monthly sales first breached 10,000 units. Momentum built steadily through 2024, with deliveries smashing consecutive records of 20,000, then 30,000, before exceeding 40,000 monthly units in Q4. Annual 2024 sales approached 300,000 vehicles, cementing LEAPMOTOR’s status as the second profitable Chinese EV startup. By 2025, it dominated domestic startup sales rankings for four straight months, nearing 50,000 monthly deliveries. Suddenly, automaker CEOs sought Zhu’s insights, though his core message remained unchanged: relentless focus on technological efficiency, vertical integration, and cost control forged over a decade. "We endured ten grueling years," Zhu reflects.

Yet complacency remains alien to him. In mid-2023, he declared one million annual sales the safety threshold. By late 2024—fresh off LEAPMOTOR’s maiden quarterly profit—he framed the coming three years as the industry’s "final showdown," demanding maximum effort. Even as sales leadership solidified, Zhu warned that without rapid scale-up, vulnerability persists. He envisions creating EV equivalents of automotive icons like the Toyota Corolla—vehicles transcending borders and economic cycles through sustained excellence. Such models become standards, a rarity in today’s hypercompetitive landscape where 80% of new models sell under 5,000 units monthly amid compressed lifecycles.

LEAPMOTOR’s C11 SUV embodies this ambition. Conceived after the niche S01 coupe’s commercial failure—a misstep Zhu calls the company’s "costliest error"—the C11 targeted mainstream buyers. Development nearly collapsed during 2019’s funding crisis; Zhu personally injected hundreds of millions to cover payroll. He gambled on two insights: EVs represented an irreversible shift, and success required "transcendent" quality at accessible prices. Originally slated above ¥200,000, the C11 was reengineered to rival ¥300,000-¥400,000 models while launching at just ¥150,000. User feedback refined details down to umbrella storage compartments and hidden safes. Sales climbed stubbornly: from 1,000 monthly units initially to over 10,000 by October 2024—defying industry norms where new-car sales typically peak early then fade. Zhu attributes this to compounding positive word-of-mouth. Consistent upgrades sustain momentum: the 2024 refresh added L2 autonomy and extended range while cutting prices; the latest iteration features 800V charging, upgraded chips, and laser radar—with top variants ¥40,000 cheaper. Zhu’s commitment runs deep: his WeChat avatar has featured the C11 for four years, and he vows, "If LEAPMOTOR survives three decades, this model will evolve like the Corolla."

Methodically, LEAPMOTOR replicates this formula across segments. The C10 SUV saw sales triple to 15,000 monthly units within a year of its 2024 launch. The company now deploys four series (A-D) spanning ¥60,000 to ¥300,000, with 13-14 models planned. Each series dominates one price band: the C-series anchors ¥150,000-¥200,000; the B-series (launching this year) targets ¥100,000-¥150,000 with class-leading tech like budget laser radar; the D-series promises "Maserati-grade interiors" below ¥300,000. "We conquer one segment thoroughly before advancing," Zhu emphasizes. Platform engineering enables this aggression—C-series models share 88% core components, while the five-seat C10 and six-seat C16 share production lines. Such standardization, plus 65% in-house component development (expanding to AR-HUDs, compressors, and seats), slashes costs. LEAPMOTOR’s integrated LEAP 3.5 architecture consolidates domain controllers into single units, reducing electronics and wiring. "Three parts become one—that’s real savings," Zhu notes. Future plans include a single Qualcomm 8797 chip for combined cockpit and autonomous functions.

Global ambitions drive this precision. Zhu’s founding vision—a "world-class EV maker"—seemed improbable given LEAPMOTOR’s modest funding and team rooted in surveillance tech (parent company Dahua). Yet by 2024, it ranked 11th globally in NEV sales. Zhu targets top-five status by 2030 with four million annual deliveries—requiring steady annual ranking gains. All resources focus on scaling sales: a small team explores embodied AI, but LEAPMOTOR remains strictly an automaker. Partnerships with Stellantis boosted overseas deliveries from 14,000 in 2023 to 20,000+ in H1 2025, while component supply emerges as a revenue stream.

The roadmap demands speed. With 2025 sales targeted at 500,000-600,000 units, LEAPMOTOR will expand stores beyond 1,000 and capacity to one million. Zhu analogizes the company’s position to "barely winning the war of survival"—balanced precariously at breakeven. "Future growth must be explosive," he insists. To avoid inefficiency despite scaling, he maintains flat management: ten executives report directly, covering granular details like weekly sales rankings. R&D headcount will stay below 10,000 even as sales surge tenfold by 2030. Factories cluster geographically; partnerships minimize heavy assets. "We’re the tortoise, not the hare," Zhu concludes. "Leadership is fleeting. Only disciplined, foundation-first progress endures."