Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on February 4, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 4, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleChery, China's top car exporter, launches its Lepas brand in the UK, focusing on electric and hybrid SUVs. This expansion follows successful launches of other brands, boosting Chery's market share.
By Nick Carey
LONDON, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Chinese automaker Chery is launching its Lepas electric and hybrid SUV brand in Britain, it said on Wednesday, as China's largest car exporter pursues sales growth in new markets.
Unlike the European Union, Britain has not imposed any tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. Currently 10 Chinese brands sell cars in the UK, with several more due to launch this year.
Chery launched its Omoda brand in the UK in August 2024, followed by its Jaecoo brand in January last year and the Chery brand last summer - which according to industry data gave it total annual sales of 53,604 vehicles, a fourteen-fold increase on the year before.
Its market share of 2.65% was more than Chinese rival BYD and second only to SAIC's MG brand.
Lepas is an export-only brand consisting of fully electric or plug-in hybrid SUVs. Chery said plans on which specific models will be launched in the UK will be announced in the next few weeks.
(Reporting By Nick Carey; Editing by David Holmes)
An electric vehicle (EV) is a type of vehicle that is powered entirely or partially by electricity, using electric motors instead of traditional internal combustion engines.
Market expansion refers to the strategy of entering new markets to increase sales and reach a broader customer base, often involving new geographical areas or customer segments.
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