Key highlights
- Lepas L6 EV launches in Australia in October 2026, with pricing to be announced closer to launch.
- The electric SUV has a 65kWh LFP battery, 440km WLTP range and 160kW motor.
- Australian models will get features including parking assistance, a Sony sound system and a 13.2-inch touchscreen.
If you’re feeling like Chery has launched about five new brands in Australia over the last couple of years, you’re not far off. The Chinese auto giant is adding yet another badge to its local portfolio: Lepas, arriving here in 2026 with its first model, the L6 EV. It’s a mid-size electric SUV, and while Lepas is being cagey on pricing for now, we do know a fair bit about what’s under the skin, and it’s a genuinely well-equipped package on paper.
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What’s the Lepas L6 EV actually like?
The Lepas L6 EV rides on what Lepas calls the LEX platform, a dedicated architecture the brand says was built specifically for it and which can also underpin plug-in hybrids down the track. For now, though, it’s EV-only, powered by a 65kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, the same chemistry favoured by plenty of budget-friendly EVs for its durability and lower cost.
That battery is good for 440km of range on the WLTP test cycle, with claimed energy use of 17.5kWh per 100km. A single electric motor drives the front wheels, putting out 160kW and 275Nm, solid, if not segment-leading, numbers for a car this size.
Charging speed hasn’t been locked in yet, but Lepas reckons a DC fast-charger can take the battery from 30 to 80 per cent in around 22 minutes, which is a reasonably competitive figure for this class of EV.
Size-wise, Lepas L6 EV sits in familiar territories
Going by Chinese-market specs for the closely related Chery Fulwin T7, the Lepas L6 EV measures 4570mm long, 1852mm wide and 1694mm tall, on a 2700mm wheelbase. That puts it in a similar bracket to the Geely EX5, another Chinese mid-sizer that’s proven popular here.
It’s also a notch bigger than Chery’s other EVs already on sale in Australia, the Chery E5 and the Jaecoo J5 EV, so the Lepas L6 slots in as a genuine step up in size within the wider Chery Group family.
Tech and Safety kit looks generous
For a debut model from a brand nobody’s heard of yet, the standard equipment list is impressively long. Local-spec cars are expected to come with 19-inch alloys, LED headlights, a panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade, a power tailgate, and dual screens, an 8.88-inch digital instrument cluster paired with a 13.2-inch touchscreen. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an intelligent voice assistant, a 50W wireless phone charger, and an 8-speaker Sony sound system, plus leatherette seats and adjustable ambient lighting for a bit of showroom flair.
On the safety front, buyers can expect automatic parking assist (including reverse, parallel and perpendicular modes), remote parking assist, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, a surround-view camera and seven airbags. Usefully, Lepas says it’s already put local prototypes through the wringer on Australian roads, specifically to recalibrate the safety systems and fine-tune the software and air-conditioning for our conditions, something local buyers of Chinese-brand EVs have learned to look for as a sign a car’s been properly sorted for Australia.
Why does this matter for Australian buyers?
Australia’s small and mid-size electric SUV segment is already crowded with Chinese entrants, and the L6 EV is walking straight into competition with stablemates like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Chery’s own Tiggo range, not to mention rivals like the Geely EX5. More choice is generally good news for buyers, but it also means Lepas will need sharp pricing to stand out.
We’ll get our first proper look at the L6 EV when it’s shown at the Everything Electric exhibition in Sydney from September 18-20, ahead of a full local launch, including pricing and final specification, in October.
Another Chery brand for Australia
The Lepas L6 EV is only the beginning of the brand’s Australian plans. The global lineup is expected to include the smaller L4 and larger L8 SUVs, while Chery has previously indicated that L1, L2, L3 and L9 models could also join the range. A sedan is another possibility.
For Australian buyers, the bigger question may be how Lepas fits into Chery’s existing local showroom strategy. Chery and Omoda Jaecoo already sell a growing selection of small and medium SUVs, meaning there is considerable potential overlap between the brands.
For now, the Lepas L6 EV will be the brand’s first Australian offering. With its 440km claimed range, 160kW motor and extensive equipment list, its eventual pricing will likely be one of the most important pieces of the puzzle when it launches in October.
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