Leahead#i1
{{short description|Electric car sub brand by GAC Toyota}}
{{use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Leahead
| native_name = 领志
| logo = Leahead logo.jpg
| type = Automotive marque
| traded_as =
| fate =
| predecessor =
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| foundation = {{Start date and age|2014}}
| founder =
| defunct = {{End date|2018}}
| location_city = Guangzhou
| location_country = China
| location =
| locations =
| area_served = China
| key_people =
| industry = Automotive
| products = Electric automobiles
| services =
| revenue =
| operating_income =
| net_income =
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| owner =
| num_employees =
| parent = GAC Toyota
| divisions =
| subsid =
| homepage = http://www.leahead.com
| footnotes =
}}
Leahead ({{respell|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.{{Cite web |title=GAC Toyota China-only brand (Lingzhi/Leahead) - China Car Forums |url=https://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20947 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20200703203629/https://www.chinacarforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=20947 |archive-date=2020-07-03 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=www.chinacarforums.com |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Toyota To Launch Cheap EV Sub Brand In China |url=https://insideevs.com/news/323337/toyota-to-launch-cheap-ev-sub-brand-in-china/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20210410121534/https://insideevs.com/news/323337/toyota-to-launch-cheap-ev-sub-brand-in-china/ |archive-date=2021-04-10 |access-date=2025-02-22 |work=InsideEVs |language=en}} 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.{{cite web |access-date=2020-07-02 |language=en |title=Guangzhou-Toyota Leahead i1 EV concept launched on the Shanghai Auto Show |url=https://carnewschina.com/2015/04/24/guangzhou-toyota-leahead-i1-ev-concept-launched-on-the-shanghai-auto-show/}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Feijter |first=Tycho de |date=2015-11-21 |title=Leahead i1 EV debuts on the Guangzhou Auto Show in China |url=https://carnewschina.com/2015/11/21/leahead-i1-ev-debuts-on-the-guangzhou-auto-show-in-china/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}} 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 {{convert|128|km|mi}}.{{cite web|title=广州车展：广汽丰田领志i1量产版首亮相 |url=https://a.xcar.com.cn/info/201511/1885639-1.html |trans-title=Guangzhou Auto Show: GAC Toyota's Leahead i1 production version debut |last=Wu |first=Yutong |language=zh |website=xcar.com.cn |access-date=26 June 2019 |date=20 November 2015}} It has a 22 kWh battery and the motor delivers up to {{convert|70|kW|hp-metric|lk=on}}.{{cite web |url=https://wattev2buy.com/electric-vehicles/guangzhou-toyota-leahead-electric-vehicles/guangzhou-toyota-leahead-i1-ev/ |title=Leahead i1 EV |access-date=26 June 2019 |publisher=Wattev2buy.com}}
The i1 was sold for the 2015-2016 model years.{{Cite web|title=【图】领志i1_领志_领志i1报价_领志i1图片_汽车之家|url=https://www.autohome.com.cn/3666/#pvareaid=100124|access-date=2021-09-21|website=www.autohome.com.cn}}
In 2018, Leahead i1s were recalled for replacing their defective Takata airbags.{{cite web|title=上半年共召回汽车486万辆 日产、奥迪、福特召回数量较高 |url=http://auto.people.com.cn/n1/2018/0705/c1005-30128300.html |trans-title=In the first half of the year, a total of 4.86 million vehicles were recalled. Nissan, Audi and Ford recalled a higher number |language=zh |website=auto.people.com.cn |publisher=People's Daily - Auto Channel |last1=E |first1=Zhichao |last2=Wu |first2=Xiaoqin |access-date=14 January 2019 |date=5 July 2018}}
File:Leahead i1 Concept 01 -- Auto Shanghai -- 2015-04-22.jpg|Leahead i1 Concept
File:Leahead i1 Concept 02 -- Auto Shanghai -- 2015-04-22.jpg|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.{{cite web|title=GAC Aion S Will Soon Have A Sibling: GAC-Toyota To Release All-Electric iA5|url=https://www.chinapev.com/gac-motor/gac-toyota/gac-aion-s-will-soon-have-a-sibling-gac-toyota-to-release-all-electric-ia5/|website=ChinaPEV.com|access-date=31 August 2019 |date=17 July 2019}}{{cite web|title=GAC Toyota iA5 Is Totally A Sibling Of GAC Aion S|url=https://www.chinapev.com/gac-motor/gac-toyota/gac-toyota-ia5-is-totally-a-sibling-of-gac-aion-s/|website=ChinaPEV.com|access-date=9 September 2019 |date=9 September 2019}}
File:Leahead iA5 001.jpg|Leahead iA5 (front, left side)
File:Leahead iA5 004.jpg|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.{{cite web|title=GAC Toyota launches pure electric SUV at Chengdu Motor Show 2018|url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/new_energy/70015112.html|website=Gasgoo|access-date=26 June 2019 |date=3 September 2018}} 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.
File:GAC-Toyota iX4 01 China 2019-04-04.jpg|Leahead iX4 (front, left side)
File:GAC-Toyota iX4 03 China 2019-04-04.jpg|Leahead iX4 (rear)