The LEPAS L8 plug-in hybrid SUV has begun shipping to the Middle East as Chery pushes its premium brand into global markets.
What is the LEPAS L8?
The LEPAS L8 is a five-seat plug-in hybrid SUV built on Chery’s Super Hybrid system. Chery created LEPAS as a separate premium badge, distinct from its mainstream Chinese-market lineup.
The L8 has a 2,800mm wheelbase and UV-insulated glass. Its climate system can cool the cabin by 32 degrees Celsius in five minutes. The combined driving range exceeds 1,300 kilometres. Fuel consumption is as low as 2.38 litres per 100 kilometres. These figures position the car for buyers who want long-distance capability with petrol backup.
Which markets are receiving shipments first?
Chery shipped the first batch of L8s from Guangzhou’s Nansha Port. The UAE and Kuwait are the initial target markets in the Middle East.
The company describes this as the start of LEPAS’s global “Year of Delivery.” However, pricing, retail partners, and local delivery timelines for the Gulf have yet to be announced. The electric-only range for the Middle East version has also not been disclosed. For buyers in the region, those details matter. Service support, spare parts availability, and residual values all influence purchase decisions.
How does the Gulf charging landscape affect the case for the L8?
The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been expanding public charging networks in recent years. However, coverage remains uneven outside major urban centres. As a result, a plug-in hybrid gives drivers the option of electric running in cities with petrol range for longer journeys.
The L8’s claimed 1,300-kilometre combined range is well suited to that pattern. Drivers can use the electric motor for daily commuting and switch to the petrol engine for intercity travel. Consequently, a plug-in hybrid is a practical choice for many Gulf drivers at this stage of infrastructure development.
What is happening in Europe?
LEPAS has already shipped close to 1,500 L8s to six European countries. Italy, Spain, and Greece are among the markets that have received vehicles. In Spain, local reports confirmed the first units arrived in June 2026.
The UK is also confirmed for a 2026 launch. Pricing there starts from £34,900. Therefore, Chery is rolling out the L8 across two distinct export regions simultaneously. Europe and the Middle East together give LEPAS a broad international footprint early in the model’s life cycle.
What questions remain unanswered for buyers?
The L8’s technical specifications are detailed. Meanwhile, commercial information for Gulf buyers is thin. There is no confirmed retail network, no launch date, and no market-specific pricing.
In addition, the electric-only range figure for the Middle East variant has not been published. That figure is important for buyers who want to understand real-world running costs. For example, a buyer in Dubai with a home charger needs to know how far the car travels on electricity alone before the petrol engine starts. Chery has time to publish that information before deliveries begin. However, the longer that gap remains, the harder it becomes for dealers to build consumer confidence ahead of launch.
