Lepas, the newest of the four UK-facing brands under China’s Chery Group, has begun UK deliveries of its first plug-in hybrid, the L8 SUV, with prices opening at £34,700. The launch marks Lepas’ second model line in Britain, following the L6 EV that introduced the brand earlier in 2026, and its first foray into plug-in hybrid power.
According to reporting from Autocar and Carwow, the L8 pairs a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor and an 18.4kWh battery for a combined 275bhp and a 0-62mph time of 7.9 seconds. Electric-only range is rated at up to 56 miles, enough for most daily UK commutes to run on battery power alone before the petrol engine steps in.
Two trims are available at launch: the entry Essence at £34,700 and a range-topping Elevate at £37,900. Carwow reported that Lepas expects the pricier Elevate to be the stronger seller in the UK, a sign the brand is positioning the L8 as a well-equipped family SUV rather than a stripped-down value play.
What Car? and The Car Expert both frame the L8 as a rival to established plug-in hybrid SUVs such as the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid and Toyota RAV4 PHEV. On electric range alone the L8 trails both rivals — the Tiguan is rated at 72 miles and the RAV4 at 85 miles — though it lines up closely with the Citroën C5 Aircross PHEV’s 53-mile figure. Reviewers were consistent on the trade-off: the L8 undercuts those rivals on price and offers a spacious cabin, but doesn’t match them for the dynamic polish or usability buyers get from more established brands.
Lepas is one of four Chery-family brands now selling in the UK alongside Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery itself — the same group that already offers Chery-badged EVs and plug-in hybrids in markets like the UAE. Bringing a fourth badge to market in quick succession is an aggressive bet on UK demand for affordable electrified SUVs, and the L8’s pricing undercuts most of the PHEV competition it names as rivals.
For UK buyers cross-shopping plug-in hybrids, the L8 adds another option to a fast-growing field — browse the full range on GetEVCar’s plug-in hybrid hub or see what else is landing in the UK market this quarter.
