Leahead

Leahead

Native name	领志
Company type	Automotive marque
Industry	Automotive
Founded	2014; 10 years ago (2014)
Defunct	2018 (2018)
Headquarters	Guangzhou , China
Area served	China
Products	Electric automobiles
Parent	GAC Toyota
Website	http://www.leahead.com

Leahead (LEE-ə-HED) was an electric car sub brand by GAC Toyota, a joint venture between GAC Group and Toyota Motor Corporation, founded in 2014.

History

In 2013, the Sino-Japanese joint venture GAC Toyota announced a plan to introduce a new brand electric cars] Leahead to the domestic Chinese market. Its announcement was the Ranz Concept crossover prototype presented at the Shanghai Auto Show.^[1][2] Leahead's next study was the urban hatchback i1 EV Concept presented in April 2015 at the Beijing Auto Show, closer in form to the future first production model.^[3]

The series variant Leahead i1 was presented in November 2015, being a twin design to the second generation Toyota Yaris produced by GAC Toyota on the local Chinese market in 2008 –2013.^[4] The car remained the only design offered under the Leahead brand and did not go into mass production except for a trial copy. The company retained a marginal position in the alliance in favor of GAC Toyota focusing on offering co-built Electric Cars as part of the Japanese company's local portfolio from 2018.

Products

i1

The i1 was an electric supermini hatchback based on the 5-door second generation Toyota Vitz and had a range of about 128 kilometres (80 mi).^[5] It has a 22 kWh battery and the motor delivers up to 70 kilowatts (95 hp).^[6]

The i1 was sold for the 2015-2016 model years.^[7]

In 2018, Leahead i1s were recalled for replacing their defective Takata airbags.^[8]

• 
  Leahead i1 Concept
• 
  Leahead i1 Concept

iA5

The iA5 was an electric compact sedan based on GAC New Energy's Aion S, with a redesigned front and rear different from the Aion S.^[9][10]

• 
  Leahead iA5 (front, left side)
• 
  Leahead iA5 (rear)

iX4

The iX4 was an electric compact crossover SUV based on the facelifted electric Trumpchi GS4 and was revealed at the 2018 Chengdu Motor Show.^[11] It was also sold as the Mitsubishi Eupheme Qizhi, Honda Everus Shirui, and Fiat Yuejie, though the iX4 was a pure EV while the others were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

• 
  Leahead iX4 (front, left side)
• 
  Leahead iX4 (rear)

See also

• Aion
• Everus

References