In Profile: How Leapmotor’s Media-Shy Founder Overtook China’s Flashiest EV-Makers

Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. Ltd. is a veteran among China’s army of electric vehicle (EV) startups. Yet, unlike competitors who have favored loud, capital-intensive marketing campaigns, the company and its founder, Zhu Jiangming, have historically kept a remarkably low profile. 

It was only in the past year or two that Leapmotor started to command the industry’s attention. In 2025, the company sold nearly 600,000 vehicles, vaulting to the top spot among China’s new-energy vehicle (NEV) startups. Over the same period, Leapmotor achieved full-year profitability, becoming the second Chinese startup automaker to do so after Li Auto Inc.