Latest Chery-owned electric brand confirms timing for Australia: Lepas SUVs will be here before 2027
China’s Chery has announced its premium Lepas brand will begin selling cars via its own dealer network before the end of this year.
Created to one day challenge European premium brands like Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Lepas says its new range of SUVs will initially be positioned above Omoda and Jaecoo models, with the new L4 and L6 priced around five per cent higher.
At the recent Beijing motor show, Lepas pulled the drapes off its most affordable electric car yet, the all-new Lepas L4 EV, which has been designed to be a tempting alternative to small all-electric premium SUVs like the BMW iX1, Volvo EX30 and inbound Mercedes GLA.
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Lepas joins Chery-owned Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo on-sale in Australia, with iCaur and Land Rover joint-venture Freelander also to follow.
Featuring styling designed to appeal to European buyers, the new Lepas brand will be purely for export markets and will not be offered to Chinese consumers, although confusingly the smallest model is near identical to the next-generation Chery Tiggo 5.
Measuring around 4415mm long, 1817mm wide and 1630mm tall, the L4 EV has a relatively long 2700mm wheelbase, which is around 70mm longer than the Chery E5.
The reason for the difference is the Lepas L4 is among the first vehicles in the Chery group to be based on its new LEX platform.
Developed to be highly rigid, the new underpinnings allow Lepas to fit its latest advanced technology. The platform also benefits from input from the Chinese car giant’s European R&D hub, which is why it features a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension with the promise of better ride and handling.
Insiders say that in the near future all Lepas models will come with a special European-tuned suspension and, later on, cars like the L4 might even get handling honed for Australia, with engineers acknowledging our roads pose their own unique challenges.
In our market, we’ll pass on the base 80kW 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and the punchier 108kW 1.5-litre turbo petrol available elsewhere, and instead receive a full range of electrified powertrains.
The L4 and larger L6 both come with a single 150kW front-mounted electric motor that draws power from a 67kWh battery, delivering a blend of brisk performance and a range of around 450km.
A plug-in hybrid will also be available from launch, producing 205kW and 350Nm of torque and, paired with an undisclosed battery, is expected to deliver up to 90km of EV range on the WLTP test cycle.
Inside, while the 8.0-inch instrument cluster and larger 9.9-inch infotainment hardware might be familiar from other Chery Group products, the Lepas L4 and L6 promise a higher-grade, more premium experience.
Standard equipment includes a 360-degree camera, parking sensors, automatic headlights and half-leather seats.
High-grade models offered in some markets add roof rails, keyless entry, a premium sound system, six-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated seats, and adaptive cruise control.
The best-selling model in Australia is expected to be the larger, Toyota RAV4-sized L6, which could be priced from $35,000 plus on-road costs.
Later next year, a mid-to-large Lepas L8 will also join the line-up, offering more space but not a third row of seating.
Lepas Australia will release full details of the incoming Lepas L4 EV and the larger L6 and L8 closer to launch, including which trims and powertrains will be offered locally.
