Leapmotor Becomes First Automaker to Refund ADAS Subscription Fees
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor, backed by Stellantis, announced on April 10 that it will refund annual subscription fees for its Navigation Assist Pilot (NAP) software to all existing customers. Those who paid RMB 588 ($81) annually will receive full refunds by the end of May, while new customers will access the advanced driver assistance system free of charge. This move makes Leapmotor the first automaker to adopt such a strategy to attract buyers, contrasting sharply with competitors like Tesla and Huawei, which charge significant one-time fees of RMB 64,000 and RMB 30,000 respectively for similar technologies in China. Coinciding with this announcement, Leapmotor launched its new B10 compact crossover, priced between RMB 99,800 and RMB 129,800. The B10 is positioned to compete directly with BYD’s popular Yuan Plus model. Higher-end variants of the B10 feature lidar sensors, enabling automatic navigation on both highways and city streets. This strategic shift highlights intensifying competition in the Chinese EV market, where manufacturers are increasingly leveraging software pricing models and hardware advancements to differentiate their offerings and capture market share.
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Leapmotor Becomes First Automaker to Refund ADAS Subscription Fees
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Leapmotor, backed by Stellantis, announced on April 10 that it will refund annual subscription fees for its Navigation Assist Pilot (NAP) software to all existing customers. Those who paid RMB 588 ($81) annually will receive full refunds by the end of May, while new customers will access the advanced driver assistance system free of charge. This move makes Leapmotor the first automaker to adopt such a strategy to attract buyers, contrasting sharply with competitors like Tesla and Huawei, which charge significant one-time fees of RMB 64,000 and RMB 30,000 respectively for similar technologies in China. Coinciding with this announcement, Leapmotor launched its new B10 compact crossover, priced between RMB 99,800 and RMB 129,800. The B10 is positioned to compete directly with BYD’s popular Yuan Plus model. Higher-end variants of the B10 feature lidar sensors, enabling automatic navigation on both highways and city streets. This strategic shift highlights intensifying competition in the Chinese EV market, where manufacturers are increasingly leveraging software pricing models and hardware advancements to differentiate their offerings and capture market share.
TechNode