Leapmotor C10 set for early 2027 hardware update

Key highlights:

• Leapmotor will give the C10 new hardware and software in early 2027
• The current C10 cannot add native Apple CarPlay or Android Auto
• Australia has not been confirmed for the upcoming C10 hardware update

Leapmotor is preparing a hardware-led update for the C10 in early 2027, but Australian buyers will have to wait for confirmation on whether it will arrive here.

Leapmotor International commercial head for Enlarged Europe Danilo Annese described the change as an “evolution” rather than a full model change or major facelift, and the company has also confirmed that the new hardware will be accompanied by software.

The C10 still uses older electronics

The timing matters for Australian buyers because the current C10 uses Leapmotor’s older LEAP 3.0 electronic architecture, and this limits some of the vehicle’s cabin technology.

Most notably, the current C10 cannot support native Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Leapmotor Australia previously confirmed that an over-the-air software update cannot add the smartphone-mirroring features because the limitation comes from the vehicle’s hardware.

Leapmotor’s newer models have moved to more recent electronic hardware – the B10, B05 and B03X support wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

However, Leapmotor has not confirmed that smartphone mirroring will form part of the 2027 C10 update.

Australia has already received major C10 hardware upgrades

The C10 has already gained significant powertrain hardware changes in Australia without receiving a corresponding upgrade to its cabin electronics.

The C10 Design Long Range, introduced in 2026, moved to a larger battery and a new 800V electrical architecture, and despite those hardware changes, Leapmotor did not replace the C10’s underlying infotainment hardware – native Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

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C10 AWD also received new hardware

A limited-run C10 AWD Sports+ also introduced major electrical and powertrain changes.

It uses the same 81.9kWh battery and 800V architecture, but adds a 440kW dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, and again, the upgrades did not replace the C10’s underlying infotainment hardware.

What remains unclear

Leapmotor has confirmed the new hardware and accompanying software, but many details remain open.

Leapmotor has not said which C10 variants will receive the new hardware, and it also hasn’t confirmed whether existing vehicles could receive an upgrade.

The company hasn’t said whether battery-electric and extended-range versions will receive the change at the same time.

China has received a broader C10 update

The C10 has also undergone a more extensive update in China this year, with updates such as minor exterior styling changes, larger batteries, and revised powertrains.

Australia has adopted some of the newer powertrain technology, but it has not received the complete Chinese-market update.

That distinction matters because the upcoming international change appears to sit separately from a full model replacement.

What Australian buyers should watch

For Australian C10 buyers, the biggest question centres on the cabin’s older electronics.

The current C10’s lack of native Apple CarPlay and Android Auto comes from its hardware architecture, not a software limitation, and the upcoming update will therefore attract attention if Leapmotor uses the newer electronics to address that issue.

But that remains speculation for now, and Leapmotor says the answer should become clearer closer to the beginning of 2027.