Dozens of seemingly brand-new electric vehicles were left sitting inside a deserted building in France, while another collection of vintage sports cars was found gathering dust near an abandoned mansion.
YouTuber Exploring With Josh documented both discoveries in a video published August 24, 2026. His first stop revealed rows of Chinese-made Leapmotor vehicles, some with protective plastic still covering their interiors.
The cars were caught up in a distribution dispute after Leapmotor ended its agreement with a French importer. While the vehicles remained in storage, the manufacturer moved forward with a new international distribution partnership involving Stellantis.
The second discovery was entirely different. Behind an abandoned French mansion, Josh encountered a crowded warehouse containing approximately 38 vintage vehicles, including Triumph sports cars and what appeared to be modified racing machines.
Electric Car Graveyard
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Inside the first building, Josh found Leapmotor T03 electric hatchbacks parked close together. Several appeared virtually unused, with protective coverings on their seats and dashboard screens.
One vehicle’s display showed just 29 kilometers, approximately 18 miles, on its odometer. Despite the long period in storage, the explorers managed to activate some of the cars’ electronic systems.
The vehicles were linked to French distributor SN Diffusion, which signed an exclusive import agreement with Leapmotor in February 2021.
Following Stellantis’ investment in Leapmotor in October 2023, the Chinese manufacturer terminated the distributor’s contract in May 2024, ahead of its scheduled January 2025 expiration.
According to Journal de l’Automobile, SN Diffusion was holding approximately 90 Leapmotor vehicles valued at €1.7 million in May 2025. The distributor pursued legal action over the canceled agreement.
Josh also filmed a nearby lot filled with additional vehicles. He expressed concern that continued storage could damage the electric cars’ batteries, although the video did not establish their actual battery condition.
Hidden Classic Collection
The explorers then traveled to another location in southern France, where an abandoned mansion stood beside a building packed with old automobiles.
Reaching the collection required crossing deteriorating structures and squeezing through a narrow opening. Inside, cars were parked so tightly that Josh struggled to move between them.
Among the discoveries were a Citroën DS, multiple Triumph Spitfires, and other British sports cars. Some appeared to have been modified for motorsport, including one fitted with prominent auxiliary lights integrated into its front bodywork.
Josh estimated approximately 38 vehicles across the collection. Several were surrounded by loose parts, vegetation, and accumulated debris.
Racing Cars Forgotten
One of the more unusual discoveries was a Triumph with bodywork that suggested a possible rally-racing connection.
Triumph produced competition-oriented cars during its history, but the video did not establish whether this particular vehicle was a factory-built competition model or a privately modified example.
The explorers also found what appeared to be a model railway layout among the discarded items.
Josh suggested the collection had belonged to someone associated with the neighboring mansion who enjoyed working on and collecting cars. However, the original owner’s identity and the circumstances surrounding the vehicles’ abandonment were not established.
As daylight faded, the group finished documenting the warehouse and departed, leaving the tightly packed collection untouched.