New LEPAS Brand Opens UK Orders for L8 PHEV SUV from £34,900

A new car brand has opened its order books in the UK, and it is undercutting several established plug-in hybrid SUVs on price. LEPAS, the fourth marque from Chinese manufacturer Chery International, has confirmed UK pricing and finance for its debut model, the L8 PHEV, with the entry-level Essence trim starting from £34,900 on the road.

The range-topping Elevate trim costs £37,900 on the road. Both versions are available to order now, with the first LEPAS dealerships already open and customer deliveries beginning this month.

Pricing and finance

Buyers who prefer monthly payments can get the Essence on PCP from £398.99 a month, or the Elevate from £438.99 a month, both on a 49-month agreement with a £2,999 customer deposit. LEPAS has arranged the deal through Black Horse, part of Lloyds Banking Group, at a representative APR of 1.9 per cent.

The finance example for the Essence shows a total amount of credit of £31,401, 48 monthly payments of £398.99, and an optional final payment of £14,003 to keep the car at the end of the agreement. A £10 option-to-purchase fee applies if the buyer takes that route. Hire purchase is also available through Black Horse, while Lex Autolease, also part of Lloyds Banking Group, handles Personal Contract Hire for customers who want to lease rather than own.

Private retail customers get an added incentive: a £500 Test Drive Voucher, deducted from the on-the-road price for anyone who completes a test drive, then orders and registers a new L8 PHEV before the offer closes on 30 September. Combined with the 1.9 per cent APR campaign, LEPAS is pitching the L8 as a value play against rivals that often charge more for similar hardware.

What the L8 PHEV offers

Under the bonnet, the L8 pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and an 18.4kWh battery, producing a combined 275bhp and a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds. The battery gives up to 56 miles of pure electric driving, enough for most commutes to run on electricity alone, and a combined range of up to 745 miles when the petrol engine joins in.

The battery supports DC rapid charging at up to 40kW, taking it from 30 to 80 per cent in around 20 minutes. Many plug-in hybrids in this class are limited to slow AC charging only, so a genuine DC rapid-charge option puts the L8 ahead of several rivals on charging speed and everyday convenience.

LEPAS has also secured a competitive insurance position for the car. The L8 carries a 30E Thatcham Research insurance group rating, which the brand says reflects security equipment that exceeds the minimum standard required for the group, helping to keep premiums down and strengthening the case for total cost of ownership.

A new name built on a familiar platform

LEPAS is not a standalone start-up. It is the fourth brand to launch in the UK from Chery International, joining Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery itself in the manufacturer’s push into the British market. The L8 is LEPAS’s first model here, a five-seat plug-in hybrid SUV positioned as an upmarket alternative to the Jaecoo 7 PHEV, which shares group underpinnings but sits at a lower price point.

Ray Wang, Managing Director of LEPAS UK, said: “Opening the order books for the L8 PHEV is another hugely important moment for LEPAS in the UK. We have spent the past few months putting all the pieces in place. Our first dealerships are opening, cars are on their way to the UK and following the appointment of Black Horse and Lex Autolease, we can now offer customers a really competitive range of finance and leasing options from day one. The L8 PHEV already offers an exceptional amount of car for its £34,900 starting price. With 1.9% APR Representative finance and our £500 Test Drive Voucher, we believe we have made an already compelling package even stronger.”

How it stacks up against rivals

For anyone cross-shopping the plug-in hybrid SUV class, the L8 lands in territory occupied by the Jaecoo 7 PHEV, the Kia Sportage PHEV and the MG HS PHEV, all of which sit in a similar price bracket once options are added. LEPAS’s pitch rests on a longer electric-only range than most of that group, faster DC charging, and finance pricing designed to undercut on monthly cost rather than just the headline OTR figure.

The Jaecoo 7 PHEV is the closest comparison, sharing group underpinnings with the L8 but starting several thousand pounds cheaper and offering a shorter electric-only range. LEPAS is betting that buyers who want the extra electric range, the faster charging and the more upmarket cabin will pay the difference, especially if the 1.9 per cent finance rate holds up against dealer offers on rival PHEVs, many of which run closer to 7 or 8 per cent APR at list price.

The obvious risk for early adopters is buying into a brand with no UK track record and a dealer network still being built out. First deliveries only begin this month, so there is no independent long-term reliability data yet, and buyers looking at a first-generation model from an unfamiliar name will want to read early owner reports once the L8 has been on UK roads for a few months. Anyone interested can configure a car and run the finance numbers through LEPAS’s online tools before booking a test drive or placing an order.