New Lepas L6 EV is China’s upmarket answer to the Skoda Elroq and Nissan Leaf
The first electric car from Jaecoo’s posh sister brand offers up to 279 miles of range, and goes on sale later this year
This is the new Lepas L6 EV: a mid-size electric SUV from the slightly classier sister brand of Jaecoo and Omoda. It’s due to go on sale later this year, and will face off against highly regarded family EVs such as the Skoda Elroq, Renault Scenic and the Auto Express 2026 Car of the Year, the Nissan Leaf.
It’s powered by a 65kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery that delivers up to 279 miles of range, while the 215bhp e-motor driving the front wheels offers enough oomph for 0-62mph in 7.9 seconds. The maximum charging speed is a decent if unremarkable 120kW; still fast enough for a 30 to 80 per cent top-up in 22 minutes.
The L6 sits on Lepas' LEX platform that can accommodate both pure-electric and hybrid powertrains. A PHEV version will come later to rival the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and its more rugged-looking cousin, the Jaecoo 7, which you can currently save more than £2,500 on through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
Lepas, which apparently takes its name from the words ‘leopard’ and ‘passion’, says the L6 has been designed to embody the “agility of a running leopard”. Hybrid versions will feature a chrome-studded grille, while the EV will instead get a pinched, blanked off front-end design that’s very similar to that of another Chinese electric SUV, the Changan Deepal S07.
At 4,570mm long, 1,852mm wide and 1,676mm high, the L6 EV is larger than its afore-mentioned competitors, which, in tandem with a wheelbase of 2,700mm, should mean lots of cabin space. The 410-litre boot isn’t as big as the Elroq’s or the Leaf’s, but there is an additional 99 litres of storage available in the frunk under the bonnet.
Inside, base Essence models will feature a 13.2-inch touchscreen, an 8.9-inch driver’s display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, cooled wireless charging pad and dual-zone climate control. There are also 22 driver-assistance functions, including adaptive cruise control and a 540-degree surround-view camera.
Upgrading to Elevate will see the standard black fabric upholstery swapped for faux-leather, plus the addition of heated and ventilated front seats, a power tailgate, 256-colour ambient lighting and an eight-speaker Sony stereo.
Pricing for the Lepas L6 EV has yet to be confirmed, but we expect it’ll start from somewhere between £32,000 and £35,000. For comparison, entry-level versions of the new Leaf and Elroq, which both offer around 280 miles of range, cost about £28,500 and £32,500, respectively.
The L6 EV will be the first electric car the brand brings to the UK, and only the second model to join its line-up, following on from the larger Lepas L8. There’s more still to come, including the L4 compact SUV – Lepas’ alternative to the Ford Puma and Volvo EX30 – and a hatchback.
Lepas says it’s only going to offer plug-in hybrid or pure-electric power in its cars.
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