logo
New Chery-owned brand Lepas launched, coming to South Africa

New Chery-owned brand Lepas launched, coming to South Africa

The Citizen25-04-2025

Lepas range will initially consist of three combustion engine SUVs, two sedans and an entry-level EV.
Lepas L6 will take-up station as the intermediate model between the L4 and L8. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
Yet another Chinese range of SUVs is heading for South Africa, this time under the banner of Chery's new international brand called Lepas.
Expected products
The first model to roll off the assembly line, the Lepas L8, was revealed in Wuhu, China, on Thursday (25 April).
It will go into production towards the end of this year, with two smaller models, the L6 and L4, to follow.
In the pipeline after that is an all-electric L2 and two sedans.
Separate from Chery
The Lepas brand has been confirmed for South Africa, but the L8 is not expected to arrive before early next year.
NOW READ: Chery Himla revealed as marque's long awaited first bakkie
Chery plans to have around 30 dealerships up and running before then. They will function as independent entities like Chery's other sub-brands, Omoda & Jaecoo, and Jetour.
Not for China
Lepas will only be offered in Chery's international markets, not China. Chery believes there is a gap in these markets for a more upmarket and trendier styled SUV.
L4 will, for the moment, be the entry-level combustion engine Lepas model. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
According to the manufacturer, the Chery Tiggo Pro family SUVs cater to a moderate and traditional buyer, while Lepas is aimed at younger buyers with a fashion sense.
The name Lepas is a combination of the words 'leopard' and 'passion.' According to Chery, its shoulder lines were sculpted on the contours of an American leopard, and its LED headlights resemble the eyes of the big cat. Chinese porcelain inspired the curves on the doors and door handles.
Select details
The Lepas L8 features a striking yet simplistic front grille design, which is said to resemble luxury goods such as gemstones. The standout feature at the rear is a thin light bar connecting the taillights.
The L8 is 4 688 mm long, 1 860 mm wide and 1 695 mm tall, which is very much on par with the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro. The latter is 32 mm longer, 15 mm higher and features a similar width.
Staying true to the Lepas slogan of 'Colourful Life, Masterful Drive,' the L8 will be offered in three launch colours. Norwegian Forest Green, Canada Maple Yellow, and Scotch Grass Green are reserved for the exterior but will also be used on the seats, dash, and door panels.
The cabin features a 13.2-inch portrait-style infotainment system with multimodal voice control. It also has a rotary gear shifter and features such as diamond-shaped texture on the seats, a 'pebble suspended speaker' and 'rhythmic ripples' finishing.
Chery claims that the 970 mm rear legroom in the Lepas L8 is more than the BMW X1, Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson offer. The rear recline angle of 32 degrees also gives it the edge over most others in the segment.
An innovative configurable cabin enables the driver's seat to be almost fully reclined to provide 'Nap Mode'.
Both front seats can be reclined with a pull-down screen providing what is called 'Cinema Mode', while 'Sleeping Mode' provides a double bed with the rear seats folded down and the dashboard double acting as a headrest.
Up front
No powertrain details were divulged during the launch, but expect that the range of Lepas SUVs will be offered with internal combustion engines, as plug-in hybrids (PHEV), or fully electric vehicles.
The combustion engine L8 is likely to be powered by the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine used in other Chery products.
The PHEV version should use the Chery Super Hybrid powertrain, which was announced for various Chery products at the Shanghai Auto Show this week. It combines the familiar 1.5-litre turbo engine with an electric motor and battery pack.
NOW READ: South Africa-bound Omoda C7 PHEV details emerge abroad

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

TikTok says to increase investment in Britain
TikTok says to increase investment in Britain

eNCA

time12 hours ago

  • eNCA

TikTok says to increase investment in Britain

TikTok plans to raise its investment in the UK, its biggest community in Europe, with the creation of 500 more jobs, the Chinese-owned social media giant announced Monday. The news coincided with the start of London's Tech Week, which sees British Prime Minister Keir Starmer welcoming some of sector's biggest firms. "TikTok's UK workforce will grow to 3,000 this year with the addition of more than 500 jobs," the company said in a statement. It added that it was investing in a new London office, set to open next year, and whose size will dwarf its current UK head office. It will take TikTok's investment in UK infrastructure to around £140 million ($190 million), the group said. Around half the UK population, more than 30 million people, use TikTok each month, making it the platform's "largest user-community in Europe", the statement added. "Whether through direct investment in jobs and innovation, or the wider economic contribution from millions of British businesses on TikTok, we're pleased to be increasing our investment and presence here in the UK," said Adam Presser, director of TikTok UK and global head of operations and trust and safety. TikTok has been in the crosshairs of Western governments for years over fears personal data could be used by China for espionage or propaganda purposes. "What underpins our continued growth is our deep commitment to safety and to creating an enjoyable and secure digital space to sustainably support creators, entrepreneurs and the wider economy, which is why we also invest significantly in safety," Presser added Monday.

US, China seek to extend trade truce with London talks
US, China seek to extend trade truce with London talks

eNCA

time14 hours ago

  • eNCA

US, China seek to extend trade truce with London talks

The United States and China are to sit down at the negotiating table in London on Monday to attempt to preserve a fragile truce on trade, despite simmering tensions. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are leading the US delegation, President Donald Trump announced on Friday. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng -- who led Beijing's negotiating team at previous talks with the United States last month in Geneva -- would also head the team in London, China's foreign ministry announced at the weekend. "The meeting should go very well," Trump said on his Truth Social platform. His press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, told Fox News on Sunday: "We want China and the United States to continue moving forward with the agreement that was struck in Geneva." While the UK government reiterated that it was not involved in the content of the discussions in any way, a spokesperson said: "We are a nation that champions free trade." UK authorities "have always been clear that a trade war is in nobody's interests, so we welcome these talks," the spokesperson added. - Rare earths - The talks in London come just a few days after Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping finally held their first publicly announced telephone talks since the Republican returned to the White House. Trump said the call, which took place on Thursday, had reached a "very positive conclusion." Xi was quoted by state-run news agency Xinhua as saying that "correcting the course of the big ship of Sino-US relations requires us to steer well and set the direction". The call came after tensions between the world's two biggest economies soared, with Trump accusing Beijing of violating a tariff de-escalation deal reached in Geneva in mid-May. "We need China to comply with their side of the deal. And so that's what the trade team will be discussing tomorrow," Leavitt said Sunday. A key issue in the negotiations will be Beijing's shipments of rare earths -- crucial to a range of goods including electric vehicle batteries and which have been a bone of contention for some time. "Rare earth shipments from China to the US have slowed since President Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs in April," said Kathleen Brooks, research director at trading group XTB. "The US wants these shipments to be reinstated, while China wants the US to rethink immigration curbs on students, restrictions on access to advanced technology including microchips, and to make it easier for Chinese tech providers to access US consumers," she added. In April, Trump introduced sweeping worldwide tariffs that targeted China most heavily. At one point the United States hit China with additional levies of 145 percent on its goods as both sides engaged in tit-for-tat escalation. China's countermeasures on US goods reached 125 percent. Then in Switzerland, after two days of talks, the two sides agreed to slash their staggeringly high tariffs for 90 days. But differences have persisted, including over China's restrictions on exporting rare earth minerals. The impact was reflected in the latest official export data released Monday in Beijing. Exports to the United States fell 12.7 percent on month in May, with China shipping $28.8 billion worth in goods last month. This is down from $33 billion in April, according to Beijing's General Administration of Customs. There is also huge uncertainty around the outcome of other trade disputes. - 'Green channel' - Throughout its talks with Washington, China has also launched discussions with other trading partners -- including Japan and South Korea -- in a bid to build a united front to counter Trump's tariffs. On Thursday, Beijing turned to Canada, with the two sides agreeing to regularise their channels of communication after a period of strained ties. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Chinese Premier Li Qiang also discussed trade and the fentanyl crisis, Ottawa said. Beijing has also proposed establishing a "green channel" to ease the export of rare earths to the European Union, and the fast-tracking approval of some export licenses. China is expected to host a summit with the EU in July, marking 50 years since Beijing and Brussels established diplomatic ties.

Large multinational company shuts factory in South Africa
Large multinational company shuts factory in South Africa

The South African

time15 hours ago

  • The South African

Large multinational company shuts factory in South Africa

It's sad news for the 78-year old Goodyear factory in South Africa. Last week it was announced that the large multinational will be close its Kariega plant in Nelson Mandela Bay. Without Goodyear, there will only be three international companies with a factory in South Africa: Continental, Sumitomo (Dunlop) and Bridgestone. The trading environment is becoming increasingly difficult for international tyre companies with manufacturing in South Africa. This is primarily due to high energy costs and cheap, sub-par Chinese imports being dumped in the country. Back in 2020, Bridgestone came close to shutting its Brits factory in South Africa. Likewise, Sumitomo was forced into restructuring at its Ladysmith plant in KwaZulu-Natal earlier this year, in February. Nevertheless, the local tyre manufacturers that remain are all part of larger global organisations that feed the rest of Africa. As such, they employ around 5 000 workers collectively, and are responsible for more than 7-million tyres annually, says the South African Tyre Manufacturing Conference (SATMCC). Sadly, the Goodyear factory in South Africa has been in operation since 1947. It employs in the region of 900 workers. The firm announced the closure in a general statement last week, on Thursday 5 June 2025. It said Goodyear South Africa will transform to a 'go-to-market' to optimise its footprint and portfolio, reports TopAuto. Cheap Chinese imports are being challenged by the competition commission. Image: File 'As part of that transformation, Goodyear South Africa is launching a restructuring process in accordance with the provisions of the Labour Relations Act. To address the closure of the factory in South Africa, it will realign sales, administration and general management functions. As such, Goodyear South Africa will continue to maintain sales, distribution and retail presence in South Africa through Hi-Q,' confirms the statement. Goodyear says closing the factory in South Africa is in no way a reflection of the efforts and years of dedication. Therefore, it says it is committed to acting fairly and providing affected employees with appropriate support. As such, the reorganisation process will be overseen by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA). There are also job loss mitigation initiatives in place with the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber to assist those who have been made redundant. Experts says unreliable electricity supply, above-inflation cost increases and cheap Chinese imports have all contributed to tough trading conditions for local tyre manufacturers over the last five years. It's a shame to see hard-working South Africans losing jobs … Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store