Lepas L6 EV Uses a Platform That Also Takes Plug-Ins

Lepas L6 EV goes on sale in Australia in October, and Australian specification is great reading. Chery Group’s newest brand opens here with a mid-size electric SUV built on a platform that was engineered from the outset to take part dinosaur plug-in hybrid power as well as pure battery-electric.

Lepas Australia released specification ahead of that October date, covering the battery and the motor, plus the cabin and driver assistance equipment. Pricing is yet to come. The L6 EV is the first car Lepas will sell in this market.

We covered the L6 EV earlier when its local testing program ended, and Chery took a comparable route with its ute, handing the Stockman to Premcar for Australian validation. Lucas Harris, Chief Operating Officer at Lepas Australia, calls the L6 “an exciting new chapter for our business”. Lepas was developed around a “Bold by nature” concept. But what does this all mean?

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LEX Takes Battery and Plug-In Hybrid Power

The LEX platform was developed specifically for Lepas, and it’s designed to support a broad range of new-energy powertrains across several segment sizes. That flexibility extends to both BEV and PHEVs. LEX is a dedicated technology architecture, dedicated to Lepas rather than to battery power.

Under the LEX groups electrical architecture and what it calls intelligent chassis technology. The same flexibility cis also the base for the electrified models that follow the L6, and those cars can be altered over time through software and technology updates.

Lepas L6 EV Range and Charging

Lepas L6 EV uses a 65kWh LFP battery, Chery Group’s own battery engineering. It feeds a single 160kW/275Nm front motor to drive the front wheels. Claimed range is 440km on the (extremely optimistic) WLTP cycle, with energy consumption quoted at 17.5kWh/100km. DC fast charging covers 30 to 80% in about 22 minutes.

Slim LED lighting signatures are inspired by a leopard’s eyes, and the bodywork uses somewhat ubiquitous sculpted lines. This shape is starting to look very, very familiar. Wheels are 19-inch machined-finish alloys, and a panoramic glass roof is standard.

Cabin Kit and Safety Equipment

Interior and convenience.

• 8.88-inch LCD digital driver display
• 13.2-inch LCD infotainment touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• “Hello LEPAS” voice command
• 8-speaker Sony sound system
• 50W wireless phone charging
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Synthetic leather upholstery
• Panoramic sunroof with slide and tilt, plus a powered sunshade
• Colour-selectable ambient lighting
• Powered tailgate
• Puddle lights

Safety and driver assistance

• 7 airbags
• Adaptive Cruise Control
• Autonomous Emergency Braking
• Lane Departure Prevention
• 360-degree Around View Monitor
• Automatic Parking Assist
• Remote Parking Assist

Although it will probably see little use, automatic Parking Assist steers the car into perpendicular and parallel bays as well as reverse spaces, with minimal driver input. The 360-degree Around View Monitor gives distance displays and alerts down to the centimetre.

Lepas L6 EV goes on public display for the first time at Everything Electric, at Sydney Olympic Park, from 18 to 20 September.

Lepas L6 EV

Spec	Detail
Price	Not announced
Battery	65kWh LFP
Motor	Front-mounted, 160kW/275Nm
Drive	Front-wheel drive
Range (WLTP)	440km
Energy consumption	17.5kWh/100km
DC charging	30 to 80% in about 22 minutes
Wheels	19-inch machined-finish alloys
On sale	October

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