Lepas L6 EV to launch in October
Chery is set to introduce the Lepas brand to Australia in October via the Lepas L6, a mid-sized electric SUV with distinctive ‘leopard inspired’ lines and a focus on comfort and technology.
Numbering among China’s largest automotive manufacturers, Chery already sells vehicles here under its own name as well as the Jaecoo and Omoda brands, which it owns.
Lepas enters one of the most crowded automotive markets in the world, with around 80 brands already vying for the Australian consumer dollar.
The mid-sized SUV segment is also one of the most hotly contested in Australia, and the five-seater Lepas L6 will be up against more than 25 EV competitors including the Tesla Model Y, BYD Sealion 7, Geely EX5 and Zeekr 7X.
Lepas is hoping to set itself apart from the pack with distinctive styling and a versatile ‘LEX’ platform that can support a range of vehicle sizes and powertrains.
“Some of you will be thinking this is just another Chery brand. It isn’t,” said Lucas Harris, chief operating officer for Lepas Australia. “Lepas does a different job. It is for the person who has chosen everything else in their life carefully and then had to settle on a car. We’re not here to take sales off our own brands, we’re here because there’s a customer in the category no one is talking to.
“The L6 is an important first step for the brand, offering a compelling combination of style, technology, comfort and EV performance in one of Australia’s most competitive vehicle segments.”
Lepas L6 price and specifications
In its initial EV iteration, the Lepas L6 runs a 65kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery that powers a motor on the front axle producing 160kW and 275Nm.Energy consumption is rated at 17.5kWh/100km, leading to a claimed WLTP range of 450km. It can accept a maximum 120kW DC charge for a 30 to 80 per cent charging time of 22 minutes.
It presents as a sleeker and more aggressive interpretation of the Jaecoo J5, with which it shares some equipment (such as the touchscreen and driver display).
The name ‘Lepas’ (pronounced ‘lepp-uhss’) is a portmanteau of ‘leopard’ and ‘passion’ and its design cues are purportedly inspired by a leopard.
Lepas will announce pricing closer to the October launch, but the L6 will come standard with an 8.8-inch driver’s display, 13.2-inch central touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice command functions, an eight-speaker Sony sound system, 50-watt wireless phone charger, heated and ventilated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, selectable ambient lighting, and a powered tailgate.
It will also have seven airbags, a 360-degree around-view monitor, and a self-parking function.
Other Lepas cars coming soon
The L6 EV is only the first salvo in the Lepas campaign, with a raft of battery electric and plug-in hybrid models to follow over the next 18 months.Next on the Lepas schedule is the L4 electric hatchback, which shares a powertrain and underpinnings with the L6 and is due for release in December 2026.
Following that will be the L6 PHEV in March 2027 and the L4 PHEV a few months later, with the Lepas L8 (likely a seven-seat medium SUV) and L9 large SUV arriving on our shores in late 2027 and 2028.
