The ultimate Chinese mid-size SUV: Meet the 2026 Jetour L7 Plus which offers seven seats and over 200km of EV driving range as a Chery PHEV spin-off

Jetour, a Chery sub-brand mostly focused on tough off-road vehicles, has confirmed specs and pricing for the latest version of its L7 core mid-size SUV in China.

Available in both five- and seven-seat versions, the L7 Plus uses the same ‘Super Hybrid’ powertrain, which just debuted on the Chery Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8 as well as the related Jaecoo J7 in Australia.

It uses a 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and dedicated hybrid transmission, but what sets this Jetour L7 Plus apart from the other Chery plug-in hybrids is its maximum battery size. 

At a whopping 32.66kWh for the long-range version, the L7 Plus can travel up to a claimed 220km according to the more urban-weighted CLTC standard (and a still-impressive 167km measured to the more accurate WLTC standard), which makes it one of the longest-range plug-in hybrid mid-size SUVs.

The standard range version is offered with an 18.67kWh battery pack, good for a claimed 121km on the CLTC cycle, or a more standard 97km on WLTC.

Seven-seat versions are also offered with the long-range battery, making the L7 Plus a particular stand-out on the PHEV driving range front as a seven-seater.

Jetour manages to squeeze in a 70-litre fuel tank, allowing a claimed combined driving range of around 1700km for versions with the long-range battery.

Chery’s local divisions (which include Chery and Omoda Jaecoo) have been a bit cagey on the possibility of Jetour joining its rapidly increasing umbrella of brands, but the brand is well aware of the need to tap into Australia’s lucrative 4WD market potentially with models from the Jetour range. 

A representative of the brand at the Shanghai Motor Show said the Jetour Traveller T2 was earmarked for right-hand drive production in the future, initially as a petrol turbo with the plug-in hybrid to be converted at a later date.

Meanwhile both local and global executives for Chery and Omoda Jaecoo have both commented on the possibility of re-badging certain models from other Chery marques for Australia, particularly Jetour and iCar.

The more traditionally-shaped and front-wheel drive L7 Plus seems less likely given the existing mesh of mid-size products from the Chinese company, which ranges from the Chery Tiggo 7 to the Omoda 9. It would seem more likely for the long-range battery tech to be deployed in an existing or upcoming Chery, Jaecoo or Omoda nameplate given the scalability of the company’s platforms.

Expect even more products from Chery and its sub-brands in the near future, including the Jaecoo J5 small SUV, Omoda 7 mid-size plug-in hybrid, and Omoda 3 crossover.

Chery meanwhile looks to be focusing its efforts on a new dual-cab ute for the Australian market, which the brand’s local boss Lucas Harris confirmed won’t be a version of the Rely R8 (aka Chery Himla) which was seen on the stand at the Shanghai motor show.

Instead, the upcoming ute will be an all-new product designed for right-hand drive from the beginning on a new and different platform, according to Harris.

Chery is rapidly closing in on Australia’s top-10 favourite automakers after two years of explosive growth off the back of its aggressively priced and specified range of mainstream SUVs. Up 235.2 per cent year-on-year with 17,272 units registered, it is Australia’s fastest growing brand.