Lepas delayed in Australia as launch of Chery sub-brand with new hybrid and electric rival to Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Tucson confirmed in UK

Chery sub-brand has officially confirmed the arrival of its electrified Lepas L6 mid-size in the United Kingdom, but an Australian launch for the brand has just been pushed back. 

Lepas was originally scheduled to launch in Australia in the middle of this year, but we will now not see it until the end of this year.

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All Lepas models remain under consideration in Australia, but it is expected the L8 and the L6 will be the first models to launch, followed by the L4 compact SUV later down the track. 

The brand’s first car Down Under could be the L8, which is a larger mid-size SUV than the L6, and was the first model put on sale from Lepas in the UK. 

There is potential Lepas will follow the same route in Australia, with the L8 launching first this year, followed by the L6 in 2027. 

Hybrid versions of the L8 and the L6 pose a new threat to the soon-arriving revamped Toyota RAV4, along with hybrid variants of the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sorento. 

The L6 will launch in the UK towards the end of this year and will be offered in plug-in hybrid and fully-electric variants. 

There are limited other details available on Lepas’ latest overseas-bound model, but we know the PHEV version of the L6 will share the same set-up as the Jaecoo J7. 

The J7 is powered by a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine and electric motor, producing 152kW, along with a small 18.3kWh battery with an electric-only driving range of 90km, but these figures may differ on the L6. 

Lepas has revealed the total driving range of the PHEV L6 sits at the equivalent of more than 1100km.

The power and torque stats for the EV variant of the L6 have not been released yet, but it has been confirmed it will have a 67kWh battery, which offers a driving range of more than 430km. 

DC fast charging from 30-80 per cent takes 20 minutes, but beyond this, more information on the L6 will be confirmed closer to its late 2026 launch.