LEPAS L8 Lands in UK from £34,900 as Plug-In Hybrid SUV with 745-Mile Range

A new car brand is arriving in British showrooms this summer, and it is leading with a plug-in hybrid SUV that promises a very long driving range for the money. LEPAS has confirmed full UK pricing and specification for its flagship L8, a family-sized SUV that starts at £34,900 on the road and claims a combined range of up to 745 miles between fill-ups and charges.

The L8 sits in the busy D-segment, the same part of the market occupied by cars such as the Skoda Kodiaq, the Peugeot 3008 and the plug-in hybrid versions of the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai. LEPAS is positioning the L8 as a premium choice at a mainstream price, and the early figures suggest it will undercut several established rivals on list price while matching them on equipment.

LEPAS is the latest electrified brand to target British buyers, and it is starting at the top of its range rather than with a small city car. The L8 spearheads the launch, with a mid-size L6 and a smaller L4 confirmed to follow over the coming months. That gives the brand a clear plan to grow from a single flagship into a three-SUV line-up, which should help with showroom traffic and residual values as the name becomes more familiar.

Two Trims, Starting at £34,900

Buyers get two versions to choose from. The L8 PHEV Essence opens the range at £34,900 on the road, while the better-equipped L8 PHEV Elevate starts at £37,900 on the road. LEPAS describes the Essence as the trim that covers everything a modern driver needs, with the Elevate adding extra luxury and refinement on top.

On the outside, the only visual difference between the two is the wheels. The Essence rides on 19-inch diamond-cut alloys, while the Elevate moves up to 20-inch versions. Both come with LED headlights that include automatic high-beam assist, LED rear lights, an acoustic laminated windscreen to cut road noise, privacy glass at the rear and power-folding heated door mirrors.

Paint choice adds another layer. Metallic Expressive Emerald is included at no extra cost. Instinct White, Leopard Black, Mystic Purple and Impulse Red each add £500, while a matte Stoic Grey finish costs £750. The design takes its cues from the leopard, with a Diamond Mesh grille and Leopard’s Eye daytime running lights giving the front end its signature look.

At £34,900, the Essence undercuts the list price of plug-in hybrid versions of many mainstream family SUVs, several of which now sit closer to £40,000 once you add equipment. The question for buyers will be whether the L8 feels as solid and as polished to live with as the established names, something only time and the first road tests will answer. On paper, though, the price-to-kit ratio is hard to ignore.

A Hybrid That Promises 745 Miles and 403 mpg

The headline appeal for many buyers will be running costs. Both versions use what LEPAS calls its Super Hybrid System, which pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission and a 18.4kWh battery. LEPAS quotes a combined range of up to 745 miles, a pure electric range of up to 56 miles and a combined fuel economy figure of up to 403.5 mpg.

Those plug-in hybrid economy numbers always come with a caveat. Figures of 400 mpg and beyond are produced under official test conditions that assume the battery starts full, so real-world fuel use depends heavily on how often you charge. The good news is that the 56-mile electric range is generous for the class, and it is enough to cover a typical daily commute on battery power alone. Drivers who plug in regularly at home could go weeks between visits to a petrol station, while the engine is still there to remove range anxiety on longer trips.

CO2 emissions are rated at just 21g/km, which is low enough to drive into London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone without paying the daily charge. That low figure also makes the L8 attractive to company-car drivers, who are taxed on CO2 and tend to favour plug-in hybrids with a long electric range. When the battery does run low, DC rapid charging takes it from 30 to 80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes. A fully electric version of the L8 is due to follow in 2027.

Space and Equipment for the Money

The L8 is built on a 2,800mm wheelbase, which LEPAS has used to free up a roomy cabin. Rear passengers get just under a metre of legroom, at 970mm, with the front seats in a normal driving position. Standard kit on both trims includes a panoramic sunroof with a powered sunshade, dual-zone climate control, keyless entry and start, and remote engine start that lets owners pre-heat or pre-cool the car, or de-ice it, before they get in.

Step up to the Elevate and the extras pile on. It adds a hands-free power tailgate, a heated windscreen, acoustic laminated front windows, active engine noise cancellation, and power-adjustable front seats with heating, cooling and a massage function. A 256-colour ambient lighting system and in-car fragrance round out the more lounge-like feel.

Technology is shared widely across the range. Every L8 gets a 13.2-inch central touchscreen, connected navigation, a ‘Hello LEPAS’ voice assistant, 4G connectivity, wireless and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 50W wireless phone charging with cooling, and four USB ports split between front and rear. The Elevate swaps the standard six-speaker stereo for a Sony eight-speaker system.

Safety Kit and Parking Help

Both trims share the same core safety package, which includes autonomous emergency braking, emergency lane-keeping, front distance monitoring, adaptive cruise control and intelligent speed limit assistance. Every L8 carries 10 airbags. The Elevate adds front parking sensors, a 540-degree camera view, advanced parking assist and a remote parking function that can steer, brake and change gear into or out of a space while the driver stands outside the car.

Ownership cover is a strong part of the pitch. LEPAS includes a seven-year, 100,000-mile vehicle warranty, an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on the high-voltage battery, and up to seven years of RAC roadside assistance as standard. For a brand that is new to the UK, a long warranty does double duty, since it both reassures buyers about reliability and protects the cars that will set early resale values.

When You Can Buy One

The L8 is the first of three SUVs LEPAS plans for the UK, with a smaller L6 and an even more compact L4 due to join the range in the coming months. Pre-orders for the L8 open in July, with the first cars reaching customers in September. For buyers shopping the family SUV market this year, a premium-feeling plug-in hybrid from £34,900 with a warranty package this long is worth a place on the shortlist alongside the established names.