Meet Lepas: Another Chinese car brand is coming to Australia

Key points 

• Chery confirms Lepas brand will launch in Australia in 2026 
• Lepas is a youth-focused sub-brand of Chery targeting premium SUV buyers 
• Line-up includes electric, hybrid and petrol SUVs from small to large 

The influx of Chinese car brands into Australia continues to accelerate, with Chery confirming its newly minted Lepas sub-brand will arrive here in 2026. 

Established earlier this year, Lepas is being positioned as a cornerstone of Chery’s ‘upmarket strategy’ and has plans to sell 500,000 units a year globally within three years. A rapid export strategy is also planned, with Lepas already confirmed for Europe and targeting exports to 27 countries by year’s end. 

Lepas joins a growing number of brands and sub-brands beneath Chery’s sprawling umbrella. Several are already available in Australia including Chery itself, the Omoda sub-brand, and Jaecoo. Jetour is another Chery-owned brand tipped to join the Aussie market.  

So, what is Lepas? According to Chery, the name is a mash-up of ‘leap’ and ‘passion’. The brand is aimed primarily at younger buyers and is pitched as being more premium than Chery’s existing line-up of Tiggo SUVs.  

That suggests a more expensive price point but for now Chery is keeping details around its local pricing and variants close to its chest.  

Australian details will be announced closer to the 2026 launch, but globally Lepas has already unveiled a four-strong SUV family: the L8 large SUV, the mid-size L6, the small L4, and the light L2.  

All are said to ride on the same TX1 platform as Chery’s existing range of Tiggo SUVs and powertrains are likely to vary by model. Reports out of Europe, for example, suggest the L2 will be a pure electric offering, while the rest of the Lepas line-up will feature a mix of EV, hybrid and petrol engines. 

While we’ll have to wait for local details to emerge, one thing Chery is promising is that Lepas will offer something unique to the SUV norm.  

“Lepas is about more than just transport, it’s about expression, emotion and energy,” said Lepas Australia chief operating officer, Lucas Harris. “Australian SUV buyers have had practicality covered for years. What they’ve been missing is personality. Lepas delivers both. From expressive design to vibrant colour palettes and driver-focused interiors, every detail of a Lepas SUV is built to inspire individuality and joy.” 

If that sounds like marketing spin, consider Chery is China’s largest vehicle exporter and is now shipping more than a dozen car brands around the globe. Its latest move shows just how quickly Chinese carmakers can scale and execute – and how increasingly crowded Australia’s new-car market is about to get.