France expands electric car leasing, Leapmotor T03 offered at €139/month

In France, Chinese‑made Leapmotor is promoting its T03 city‑car with two distinct offers: a 36‑month lease‑long‑duration (LLD) at €139 per month with no down‑payment, and a discounted purchase price of €16,900 after a €380 eco‑bonus. The model comes fully equipped with a 10.1‑inch touchscreen, rear‑view camera, electric mirrors, alloy wheels and a glass roof, and it delivers a 70 kW motor and a 37.3 kWh battery giving a mixed‑cycle range of about 265 km.

The French government’s social‑leasing scheme will resume on 16 July 2026 for its third edition, backed by a €401 million budget. The programme aims to provide up to 50,000 low‑income households with electric vehicles for a monthly payment capped at €200. Eligibility criteria are being relaxed, with the income threshold raised to €16,880 per fiscal unit and the required home‑work distance reduced to 10 km. Fourteen manufacturers are participating, offering models priced between €94 and €199 per month, including Citroën ë‑C3, Peugeot e‑208, Fiat Grande Panda, Opel Frontera, Renault Twingo E‑Tech, Nissan Micra and others. While Leapmotor’s T03 lease is not part of the social‑leasing programme, its aggressive pricing demonstrates how manufacturers are aligning with the broader push for affordable electric mobility in France.