Lepas SA says it will 'definitely be in top 10' in 5 years

Though Lepas has yet to officially launch in South Africa, the Chery-backed brand’s general manager says the marque will “definitely be in the top 10” within 5 years…

Lepas has an “aggressive sales plan” for SA
Chery-backed brand launching in Q1 2026
ICE, PHEV and BEV powertrains confirmed

Lepas South Africa’s general manager says the Chery-backed brand – which is scheduled to launch locally in the opening quarter of 2026 – will “definitely” be among the country’s 10 best-selling automakers in 5 years from now.

Jay Jay Botes, General Manager of Lepas South Africa (and indeed General Manager of Chery South Africa), made the comments during a question-and-answer session that formed part of an online media briefing.

*The Lepas 8 will seemingly be positioned as the flagship.*

“In 5 years from now, we’ll definitely be in the top 10, hopefully taking spot number 7 or 6. We’ve got quite an aggressive sales plan for the Lepas brand, so we definitely will be in the top 10 within the next 5 years,” Botes reiterated, before quipping “hopefully [within] a year”.

Established globally as recently as April 2025, Lepas – just like Omoda & Jaecoo and the upcoming iCaur division – falls under the Chery Group banner. According to Botes, the brand plans to launch with the Lepas 4, before introducing the larger Lepas 6 and Lepas 8 “in a phased approach”. These crossovers look likely to leverage Chery’s existing platforms and powertrains.

*The first Lepas rolled off the line in China as recently as July 2025.*

Though pricing remains under wraps for now, Botes said the Lepas brand would offer “accessible premium” vehicles, suggesting “traditional premium models” are “becoming really inaccessible” (seemingly making reference to the big German brands).

He furthermore confirmed Lepas would be positioned “a little bit above the Omoda & Jaecco space”, though added the newcomer would offer “a premium product but not at a premium price”.

*The Lepas 8 (left) and Lepas 6 (right).*

“We’ll have different engine derivatives as well: ICE [internal combustion engines], PHEV [plug-in hybrid electric vehicles] as well as BEV [battery electric vehicles] coming a little bit later in the year [2026],” Botes said.

Year to date at the end of October 2025, the list of South Africa’s 10 best-selling automakers contains a pair of Chinese firms: GWM (including Haval, Tank and Ora) in 6th and the Chery brand in 8th. After a record sales haul in October, Omoda & Jaecoo currently finds itself in 14th position year to date, a spot ahead of the likewise Chery-linked Jetour marque.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: When is the Lepas brand scheduled to launch in South Africa?

A: The Chery-backed Lepas brand is scheduled to launch locally in the opening quarter of 2026 (Q1 2026).

Q: What is Lepas South Africa’s sales target within the next 5 years?

A: Jay Jay Botes, General Manager of Lepas South Africa, stated that the brand has an “aggressive sales plan” and will “definitely be in the top 10” best-selling automakers in the country within the next 5 years, hoping for spot number 6 or 7.

Q: What types of powertrains will Lepas offer in the South African market?

A: Lepas confirmed it will offer different engine derivatives, including ICE (internal combustion engines) and PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles), with BEV (battery electric vehicles) coming a little later in 2026.