Chery has been one of the fastest growing brands in Australia and over the last 18 months has launched Omoda Jaecoo as a sub-brand geared towards younger “adventure-focused” families.
Now, the automotive giant is in preparation to launch another sub-brand in Australia, which it calls Lepas, and has revealed two BEV models heading towards our market.
These will be the Lepas L4, a small SUV, similarly sized to a BYD Atto 2 or recently revealed Ora 5 EV , while the L6 is a bit bigger, more Geely EX5 length car.
The L4 will be available as a BEV, along with a hybrid powertrain, although details on the battery and motors are likely to be revealed in the coming months.
Both models were also showcased at the currently running Beijing Auto Show and have so far received quite a positive reception from international media that attended.
That’s because the Lepas brand is geared specifically for international markets, including right-hand-drive markets like Australia and New Zealand.
These models will ride on the LEX platform, which allows the brand to incorporate the latest BEV architecture into these cars.
Although local technical specifications are yet to be confirmed, the L4 specs in other markets show a 67.1 kWh battery pack, powered by a 160 kW motor.
This will help the car accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just under 8 seconds, which is fairly respectable for a small city electric SUV.
The battery is expected to offer around 400 km of range, and charging it should take under 30 minutes at the right DC fast charger.
Inside, the car’s interior is similar to that of the Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV, particularly the screen behind the steering wheel and the main portrait infotainment screen found in the centre.
There’s also a wireless charger and two cup holders with the cabin layout aimed at being quite minimalist.
Detailed specifications for our market will be revealed along with the pricing of the car. We expect it to be priced above the current Omoda Jaecoo J5 EV, which has an introductory offer of $36,990 driveaway in Australia.
Given the success of the J5 EV, we’d be keeping an eye out for the L4 and the L6, as they could also see solid sales once they debut closer to the end of 2026.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.