Chery Set to Expand UK Market with Fourth Brand Launch
Chinese carmaker Chery is pushing forward its aggressive expansion plans in the British market by launching a fourth brand, Lepas. The state-owned company aims to increase its foothold in the UK market, which it has rapidly become a major player in.
The new brand will focus on developing battery and hybrid SUVs aimed at younger families, primarily targeting the European market. Initially, these cars will be built in China and imported to the UK, where they won't face tariffs imposed by the US and EU.
This strategic move comes as Chery continues its push for market share. The company is reportedly in early-stage discussions with Jaguar Land Rover over a potential deal to use its factories to manufacture Chery cars. Although no agreement has been announced yet, it's clear that manufacturing in the UK is on Chery's radar.
Chery has already established itself as the largest exporter of cars from China for 23 years, but its failure to gain significant traction in Europe can be attributed to its focus on cheaper models for other regions like the Middle East. However, with the rise of electric cars and government subsidies, Chinese manufacturers have gained a foothold in European markets.
Chery has successfully launched three brands in recent times: Omoda in 2024, Jaecoo in January 2025, and its eponymous brand last summer. These car models have performed well in the UK market, with the company outdoing BYD, Tesla, Mini, Honda, and Mazda.
The UK sales figures also suggest that Chery is gaining momentum, with a recent surge in hybrid car sales combining smaller batteries with petrol engines. However, its main competitor, BYD, has overpowered it to become the world's biggest seller of battery electric cars.
Chery has not yet committed to manufacturing in the UK, but its director Victor Zhang has hinted at building a plant as part of a "localisation" strategy. The company aims for an "in UK, for UK, be UK" approach, which suggests setting up manufacturing is a serious option on the table.
The new brand launch comes with high expectations from Chery and the UK government, who are hopeful that eventually, the Chinese carmaker will decide to manufacture cars in Britain.
Chinese carmaker Chery is pushing forward its aggressive expansion plans in the British market by launching a fourth brand, Lepas. The state-owned company aims to increase its foothold in the UK market, which it has rapidly become a major player in.
The new brand will focus on developing battery and hybrid SUVs aimed at younger families, primarily targeting the European market. Initially, these cars will be built in China and imported to the UK, where they won't face tariffs imposed by the US and EU.
This strategic move comes as Chery continues its push for market share. The company is reportedly in early-stage discussions with Jaguar Land Rover over a potential deal to use its factories to manufacture Chery cars. Although no agreement has been announced yet, it's clear that manufacturing in the UK is on Chery's radar.
Chery has already established itself as the largest exporter of cars from China for 23 years, but its failure to gain significant traction in Europe can be attributed to its focus on cheaper models for other regions like the Middle East. However, with the rise of electric cars and government subsidies, Chinese manufacturers have gained a foothold in European markets.
Chery has successfully launched three brands in recent times: Omoda in 2024, Jaecoo in January 2025, and its eponymous brand last summer. These car models have performed well in the UK market, with the company outdoing BYD, Tesla, Mini, Honda, and Mazda.
The UK sales figures also suggest that Chery is gaining momentum, with a recent surge in hybrid car sales combining smaller batteries with petrol engines. However, its main competitor, BYD, has overpowered it to become the world's biggest seller of battery electric cars.
Chery has not yet committed to manufacturing in the UK, but its director Victor Zhang has hinted at building a plant as part of a "localisation" strategy. The company aims for an "in UK, for UK, be UK" approach, which suggests setting up manufacturing is a serious option on the table.
The new brand launch comes with high expectations from Chery and the UK government, who are hopeful that eventually, the Chinese carmaker will decide to manufacture cars in Britain.
. The key to success is adapting to the changing market conditions. It's great to see Chery expanding its presence in the UK with a new brand, Lepas, focusing on electric and hybrid SUVs for younger families. They're being smart by leveraging their existing global network and factories in China before committing to manufacturing in the UK. Time will tell if they'll be able to "make it last" 
.
So Chery's gonna stick around in the UK for a bit longer, eh? I mean, it's not like they're gonna just be some fly-by-night operation or anything 
. They've got their own factory vibes going on now, with this new Lepas brand and all that electric SUV goodness. I guess you could say they're really "charging" into the market 
. But seriously, with BYD still holding down the battery electric car fort, I'm not sure if Chery's gonna be able to dethrone them anytime soon 
. Still, it'll be interesting to see how things play out – maybe we'll even get some nice, local Chery cars built right here in the UK 
!
. And getting their cars tariff-free from China to the UK is a smart business decision 
.
. That would be a huge deal for their localization strategy - setting up a plant in the UK could really help them get more traction in the market 
.
I'm also not buying that Chery is genuinely interested in targeting younger families in the EU market... sounds like a convenient excuse to get more sales and expand their market share 
. And let's not forget, they're already getting some serious traction in the UK, with BYD being their main competitor 
. Maybe it's time for us to keep an eye on Chery's moves and see what's really going on behind the scenes 
.
what's next? another 3-4 brands and theyll be like chinese toyota or something 
, but i'm not sure if it'll work out. they've got some good sales figures already, but byd's still leading the way in electric cars 
... btw, have you seen any of chery's cars before? i've heard omoda is pretty nice 
... what do you guys think about electric cars becoming more popular?
.
initially gonna be imported from china, but with factories in the works 
they're already making waves in the market, outdoing some big names like byd & tesla 
Can't believe Chery's going down this route again 
. They're basically trying to flood the market with more of their cheap, mass-produced cars 
. I mean, what's wrong with them not learning from BYD's playbook? 
. Chery's just regurgitating the same old Chinese car formula 
. Not convinced about this "localisation" strategy of theirs either... sounds like a weak attempt to fit in 
. Although BYD still leads in electric sales, Chery's momentum is building up. I'm curious to see how Lepas will perform in the market 
.
. Their focus on cheaper models 
wasn't the best strategy, but they're adapting now 
. UK market is a big deal for them 
, but Chery's got a good run going 23 years straight 