New Lepas L8 wants to offer fleets “quiet premium” without the premium-brand baggage

May 20, 2026

Another new SUV brand is heading to the UK, but Lepas thinks it has found a slightly different angle.

The new Chery-owned marque will launch this September with the L8, a large plug-in hybrid SUV aimed at drivers who want something comfortable, tech-heavy and premium-feeling, without stretching into traditional Audi, BMW or Land Rover money.

Think of it as sitting somewhere between a Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe and Jaecoo 7 in style and positioning, with pricing expected to stay below £40,000.

And for company car drivers doing serious mileage, the headline number is hard to ignore: Lepas claims the L8’s plug-in hybrid system can deliver up to 800 miles of combined range, alongside around 55 miles of electric-only driving.

That means many drivers could do the weekday commute on battery power alone, while still having petrol backup for long motorway trips without charging stops becoming part of the journey planning.

The L8 uses a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine paired with an electric motor and 18.4kWh battery, with fleet ordering opening on July 1 ahead of first UK deliveries in September.

Lepas says it’s targeting what it calls the “quiet premium” market. Buyers who still want quality, comfort and design, but increasingly feel disconnected from the image, pricing and complexity of traditional premium brands.

More models will follow quickly too, with the smaller L6 and L4 SUVs due within the next 12 months.