Lepas removes wraps from incoming partially electrified L8

Shown in production form at its annual International User Summit last year, Chery-owned Lepas used the renamed International Business Summit last month to debut the plug-in hybrid version of the flagship L8.

L8 vs Tiggo 8

Based on its parent company’s Tiggo 8, the L8 effectively serves as a lightly restyled version compared to the wholly different designs of the smaller L4 and L6.

In China, it carries the Tiggo 8 Leopard moniker as a result of its tweaked front and rear facia versus that of the normal Tiggo 8 known as the Tiger.

Dimensions

Dimensionally, the L8 has the following measurements:

• Length: 4 688 mm;
• Wheelbase: 2 800 mm;
• Height: 1 686 mm;
• Width: 1 871 mm

Inside

Seating five instead of the Tiggo 8’s seven, the L8’s interior also differs to reflect that of the L4 and L6.

As such, it receives a restyled floating centre console, a Lepas specific steering wheel and dashboard, the 13.2-inch infotainment system and a freestanding digital instrument cluster.

Up front

Up front, the petrol L8 will reportedly offer two combustion engine options are per those of the Tiggo 8 Tiger.

These comprise a 1.6 T-GDI outputting 160kW/320Nm and a 2.0 T-GDI producing 210kW/430Nm.

Transmissions consist of a seven-speed dual-clutch for the former and an eight-speed torque converter automatic for the latter.

As mentioned, the summit in Chery’s hometown of Wuhu saw the debut of the plug-in hybrid LSH, a moniker denoting Lepas Super Hybrid.

A renaming of Chery’s CSH (Chery Super Hybrid) and sister brand Omoda & Jaecoo’s Super Hybrid System (SHS), the L8 LSH, according to AutoTrader, uses the same setup as the L6 LSH.

This means a combined outputs of 205kW/365Nm from the combination of a 1.5 T-GDI and an 18.4-kWh battery pack powering a single electric motor.

Sending the amount of twist to the front axle falls to a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission (DHT).

Third quarter arrival

Part of Lepas South Africa’s three-model roll-out started with the L4 in March, the L8 will be sold alongside it and the L6 from an initially planned 33 dealer network across the country.

Set to arrive in the third quarter of the year after the L6, local specification and pricing of the L8 will only be announced once an official launch date has been approved.