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Not content material with two auto manufacturers, Chery is lobbing one other one into the crowded Australian market – and it’s received an odd title, besides.
Lepas will launch right here in 2026, and Chery says it’s pronounced ‘le move‘ – and never like how you’ll say ‘lepers’ in an Australian accent. The title is a portmanteau of “leap” and “ardour”.
Sharing its title with a genus of goose barnacles, Lepas is launching as an SUV model for now, with plans to supply six completely different merchandise.
The Chinese language model hasn’t confirmed what the native Lepas lineup will appear like, although it has launched photos of the L8 which has an uncommon title of its personal.
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So, how does Lepas distinguish itself from the present Chery and Omoda Jaecoo manufacturers?
Introduced earlier this yr with the European market in thoughts, Lepas will supply “a brand new era of daring, design-led SUVs that mix ardour with practicality”.
“Australian SUV consumers have had practicality coated for years. What they’ve been lacking is persona. Lepas delivers each,” mentioned Lepas Australia chief working officer Lucas Harris in a press launch, a quote which on face worth seems to recommend Chery’s personal SUVs lack persona.
Anticipate extra thrilling colors and younger advertising and marketing in Australia in comparison with Chery and Omoda Jaecoo merchandise, although it’s unclear how Lepas autos will likely be priced relative to their company cousins.
Omoda Jaecoo, notably, isn’t positioned as a premium model right here however somewhat as a slight step up over Chery, with its autos sometimes bought in numerous showrooms.
It’s unclear at this stage whether or not Lepas autos will share showroom house with different Chery manufacturers.
Chery has introduced little in the best way of particulars across the new model for our market, with pricing, specs and availability to be introduced nearer to launch.
Per an April report from Automotive Information Europe, Lepas will supply a alternative of petrol, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and electrical powertrains, and is geared toward a youthful purchaser than the Chery or Omoda Jaecoo manufacturers.
The plan is for Lepas to be provided in 27 markets globally this yr, rising to 89 markets in 2027 and 500,000 annual gross sales in three years’ time.
Lepas has to date revealed three fashions: the L4, L6 and L8. All function clean if unexciting exterior styling, with widespread design cues comparable to split-level entrance lighting and a full-width rear gentle bar.
All Lepas autos to date additionally function a portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment system, and maybe probably the most distinctive side of the model’s autos are the funky colors they provide inside and outside.
The model’s debut product, the L8, shares its T1X platform with different Chery autos just like the Chery Tiggo 8 and Jaecoo J7, and measures 4688mm lengthy, 1860mm extensive and 1695mm tall on a 2800mm wheelbase.
It’s set to supply a alternative of petrol, PHEV and electrical powertrains.
Lepas is one other a part of Chery’s convoluted export technique. Each Omoda Jaecoo automobile at present bought right here, for instance, is bought as a Chery in China.
The exception is the Omoda 9, which is definitely an RX/Yaoguang from Chery’s Exeed model that’s exported to solely sure markets exterior China.
Chery’s new electrical automobile (EV) model iCar is ready to be exported as a standalone model, however a trademark challenge will see it renamed to the incomprehensible iCaur in some markets… though it’s bought as Aiqar in others.
Different manufacturers below the Chery umbrella embody Jetour, which is exported exterior China, and Rely, which to date isn’t.
The announcement of the Lepas model for Australia comes simply two years after Chery returned to Australia as a factory-backed operation.
It introduced the Jaecoo model in March 2024, after which at a launch occasion for its debut product in March 2025, it introduced the Omoda model.
It subsequently began referring to the 2 manufacturers as being one and the identical.
Whereas Chery Australia’s communications boss Tim Krieger confirmed in Might 2025 the native arm wasn’t anticipating some other manufacturers “within the brief time period” – saying it was too early to touch upon Lepas – he left the door open for others to reach.
“The clear message for us is: ‘You guys have gotten an enormous job in your arms actually with Chery, actually with Omoda Jaecoo. You guys do job with that, let’s see what else doubtlessly may come.’” he instructed CarExpert.
“However everybody’s 100 per cent targeted on these two manufacturers in the meanwhile, making the most effective of these alternatives.”
When requested about Exeed and Jetour, which already promote autos in markets just like the Center East, Omoda Jaecoo chief business officer Roy Muñoz mentioned there have been no rapid plans for these manufacturers domestically.
