Fresh Chinese BYD Sealion 6, Geely Starray, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV challenger: Lepas L8 2026 Australian release confirmed

Chinese carmaker Chery has confirmed this would possibly well debut its newest sub-ticket, is believed as Lepas, into the Australian market next year.

A portmanteau of the words ‘soar’ and ‘passion’, Lepas (presumably pronounced “Jump-ride”) will modified into Chery’s fourth sub-ticket actively trading in Australia, following behind Chery Australia, Omoda, and Jaecoo.

Other Chery sub-brands in contention for Australia encompass iCaur (is believed as iCar in China), a everyday life offroad EV ticket, and Jetour, which fills a comparable enviornment of interest.

Lepas has to date confirmed unprejudiced one flagship model for its local debut, is believed as the Lepas L8. It appears to be a rival to the BYD Sealion 6 and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, presenting as a diminutive elevated than midsize nevertheless aloof a five-seater. No longer no longer like its Omoda 9 stablemate.

Offering unprejudiced five seats also opens the L8 to ‘correct midsize’ opponents similar to the Geely Starray and MG HS ‘Expansive Hybrid’.

Lepas is searching out a younger, vogue conscious demographic, and the L8 therefore has involving, sporty styling, intellectual colours and a light-colored within. In in one other country markets, Lepas describes its create language as “Leopard Beautiful”.

Interior, the L8 aspects perforated leather-based, vinyl, brushed-construct steel speaker grilles, a digital instrument cluster — likely 10.25-inches — and a portrait orientation infotainment display conceal, likely 13.2-inch or 14.8-inches, and borrowed from the Jaecoo J7.

No technical info or measurements bear but been confirmed for the L8, which would possibly well perhaps be on sale in as diminutive as four months. Preliminary press pictures expose that the vehicle is a plod-in hybrid, presenting dual gas doors and a colossal front grille presumably for ICE engine cooling.

That would possibly well perhaps imply the L8 is probably going to be based upon the Chery Tiggo 8 plod-in, which measures 4720mm lengthy, 1862mm vast, 1705mm sizable, and runs on a 2710mm wheelbase.

Weight would possibly well perhaps aloof be in the realm of 1884kg (tare).

Beneath the bonnet, Chery would possibly well perhaps utilize its tried and tested PHEV powertrain, which combines a 105kW / 215Nm 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine, and 18.4kWh LFP battery with a 150kW / 310Nm electric motor to energy the front wheels.

Within the Tiggo 8 PHEV, this hybrid system delivers an electrical-most effective driving fluctuate of 95km, mixed fluctuate of 1200km, and mixed gas consumption of 1.3L/100km. All figures confirmed are NEDC checking out standards.

While unconfirmed, we question Lepas to soon bolster its L8 providing with the announcement of its L6 minute SUV and L4 compact SUV. More info for those would possibly well perhaps aloof soon reach to light for global markets.

The Australian debut of Lepas, which came into existence unprejudiced five months ago, is a extraordinary one. Chery already has several highly comparable products to the L8, and it remains to be seen how the L8 will differentiate from units similar to the Jaecoo J7, Chery Tiggo 8 and Omoda 9 PHEVs.

Chery already has a sturdy proposition of ticket via its predominant namesake, providing several combustion and hybrid SUVs including the Tiggo 4 minute SUV, at expose Australia’s most rate-effective SUV, and Tiggo 7 SHS, Australia’s most rate-effective PHEV.

It additionally has an array of top rate mid-measurement SUVs, including the Jaecoo J7, Jaecoo J8, Chery C5 and Omoda 9. We are alive to to gape how the L8 suits into this crowded home.