Following sightings of its new local social media pages, Chery Corporate Malaysia (Chery Malaysia) has now confirmed that the Lepas sub-brand will be launched in Malaysia in the first half of 2026 (1H 2026), as part of its new multi-brand strategy. The announcement was made during the Chery International User Summit 2025 in Wuhu, China, recently.
While the Lepas name might sound a little familiar, especially in Bahasa Melayu, the brand says that its name was actually derived by fusing “Leap” and “Passion” into a portmanteau. The brand, which only debuted in April this year, will operate as an independent global marque under the Chery Group umbrella.
Lepas’s first model is the L8, a sister model to the all-new Chery Tiggo 8 that recently debuted in China. Measuring 4,749 mm long, 1,880 mm wide, and 1,710 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,825 mm, the L8 is comparable in size to the Omoda C9 and Jaecoo J8.
The debut of the L8 will be followed by the launch of eight new models in the next three years. These models will likely feature Lepas’s electrified framework, which the company dubs “Elegant Technology”—a system built around the three-electric core (comprising the battery pack, electric motor, and motor controller).
In related news, Omoda Jaecoo reported strong global performance, selling 32,840 units in September 2025. This marked a 39% year-on-year growth and pushed cumulative sales past the 630,000 mark.
The sales figures are largely driven by the brand’s New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), which accounted for 57% of total sales. This NEV momentum is led by the Super Hybrid System (SHS) variants of the Omoda O5 and Jaecoo J7.
Closer to home, Omoda Jaecoo Malaysia is preparing for the launch of two models. The company has previewed the Jaecoo J5—now open for booking with an expected sticker price of RM120,000—as well as the plug-in hybrid variant of the Omoda C9. The C9 PHEV is slated for a Malaysian launch by the end of 2025, with an estimated price of RM220,000.
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