New electrified car manufacturer Lepas has officially launched in the UK, signalling its intent to disrupt the corporate and retail sectors with a VIP celebration in London and the debut of three SUVs.

The launch event, held at Town Hall by Bottaccio in King’s Cross, was attended by more than 400 guests, including senior global executives from parent company Chery International. The evening culminated in the unveiling of the new Lepas L6 EV, a fully electric SUV scheduled to go on sale this autumn, alongside preview versions of the L6 PHEV and the smaller L4 EV urban SUV.

The new models will join the brand’s flagship L8 PHEV, which went on sale late last summer, as Lepas positions the UK as a central hub for its European expansion.

Lepas marks Chery International’s fourth brand rollout in the UK, following the successful introductions of Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery. The UK represents one of the manufacturer’s most critical strategic regions, serving as the springboard for its global expansion.

The event was held just days after Lepas announced the appointment of Tim Whitworth as national leasing manager in the UK, spearheading the establishment of its own dedicated fleet operation. The plans spotlight the brand’s major statement of intent to capture a significant share of the corporate car market.

Underscoring the strategic importance of the region, the event drew high-level automotive executives from China. These included Zhang Guibing, executive vice president of Chery Auto and president of Chery International, along with Charlie Zhang, executive vice president of Chery International and Zhai Xiaobing, CEO of Lepas.

“What we appreciate about the UK is the way consumers here understand cars as part of their lifestyle,” said Mr Zhai. “They value design, quality and individuality. This is exactly the kind of environment in which we believe Lepas can grow.”

He continued: “We are not here simply to introduce another new energy vehicle brand. We come to offer Britain something distinct: a new expression of elegance that is confident yet understated, powerful yet effortless. We want to understand this market, work with local partners and build Lepas together with British consumers — not as a foreign brand arriving, but as a new choice born from shared values.”

The event also included presentations from the brand’s global chief designer, Ivan Dulanovic, alongside Gary Lan, CEO of Chery International in the UK, and Ray Wang, Managing Director of Lepas UK.

Taking centre stage was the new Lepas L6 EV, shown in full UK specification ahead of its autumn arrival. Guests were also given a first look at preview versions of the upcoming plug-in hybrid version of the L6 and the smaller L4 EV B-segment SUV, offering attendees a clear vision of the brand’s expanding UK portfolio. Attendees were also able to experience three specially created experience zones designed to showcase the core pillars of the Lepas character: refinement, elegance and intelligence.

The event was attended by senior representatives from Lepas’s rapidly growing UK retail network. More than 50 standalone showrooms are currently under construction or being fitted out in partnership with major British dealer groups, including Arnold Clark and Stoneacre Motor Group. The manufacturer aims to have 60 fully operational dealerships by the end of 2026, with plans to expand the network to 90 locations by the end of 2027. Each site will offer standalone sales, servicing and aftersales support.

Ray Wang, managing director at Lepas UK said: “The UK is one of the world’s most mature and sophisticated automotive markets, and its importance to Chery goes far beyond sales. It is a market in which we want to build for the long term.

“The launch of Lepas is another important step in that journey. It brings a new choice to UK customers and demonstrates our commitment to delivering differentiated brand experiences by investing in new brands, new products and new technology for this market.”

Lepas also announced major financial and operational partnerships to underpin its UK rollout. Lloyds Banking Group divisions Black Horse and Lex Autolease will serve as key finance partners in the UK, delivering a broad range of finance, leasing and wholesale funding solutions to fuel Lepas’ growth plans with retail and fleet drivers.