- Chery hosts International User summit at home base in Wuhu.
- New models from Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo... and more.
- Lepas luxury brand intended to rival Polestar and Genesis.
Set in the southeastern Anhui province, China, and sitting on the southeast bank of the Yangtze River, Wuhu boasts several spots included on China's List of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites. However, I wasn’t there as that kind of tourist.
Wuhu is also the home of Chery, China’s largest exporter of vehicles globally and ranked 4th largest manufacturer in the country. Only founded in 1997, it was this year's fastest-rising carmaker in the Fortune 500 and has a raft of brands under its name - with more coming. That's one of the reasons I was there.
The agenda for the 2025 Chery International User Summit was brutal, including opening speeches from chairman Yin Tongyue, the Chery Global Innovation Conference, signing of the Kaiyang Laboratory Strategic Alliance, speeches from the VP, a Chery technology showcase, Chery Brand Night, the launch/reveal of new "elegant" brand Lepas, the reveal of the 7-seater "transformable multi-SUV", reveal of the Omoda 4 and Omoda 4 Ultra, plus a multitude of on and off-road driving stints.
Both the chairman Yin Tongyue and executive vice president/CTO Gao Xinhua say Chery is pursuing a strategy to evolve from a traditional car manufacturer into a "global high-tech ecosystem group", aiming for a top-tier position in the global automotive industry. This ambition is backed by significant investments in research and development, safety, AI, and next-generation powertrains.
Chery has established a global research and development network structured as what it calls a "1+7+N" model. Headquarters in Wuhu serves as the central hub, supported by seven major overseas research centres in locations including Frankfurt, Barcelona, and São Paulo. This network is designed to integrate local regulations, climates, and cultural preferences into vehicle development.
Powertrains and new energy
With 28 years of independent powertrain R&D, Chery emphasises its innovation in this area. The company has developed the "Kunpeng Tianqing Engine," which it claims is a global first with a thermal efficiency exceeding 48%.
Chery also asserts that its latest hybrid technology is highly competitive, even comparing its power output favorably to that of a Lamborghini Huracan. The company's new energy strategy, which began in 2003, focuses on hybrid and all-electric vehicles. Chery highlights its advanced battery technology, featuring a 5000-cycle lifespan and high energy density.
Proactive safety and AI
Chery utilises data from real-world incidents to develop proactive safety systems. Innovations include rear windscreen airbags and intelligent perception systems that merge autonomous driving data with safety robotics to enhance collision avoidance. The company reports it has achieved "54 five-star safety ratings" for its vehicles globally.
In artificial intelligence, Chery aims to create systems that can proactively understand and respond to complex driving environments by training "learning world models" on massive datasets. The company has also developed unique capabilities like Ark Amphibious technology, which enables a vehicle to operate on water.
The new Lepas 'elegant' brand
With Chery, Exceed, Omoda, Jaecoo, iCar (iCaur), Luxeed and Jetour, you could argue that the Chery Group has already got its hands full of brands. But it would appear not. Meet Lepas, a new global premium automotive brand aimed at the electric vehicle market. It actually debuted in April 2025, but we were given more details in Wuhu.
Lepas positions itself as a competitor to brands like Genesis and Polestar. In terms of brand identity and design, Lepas says it views a car as an extension of one's lifestyle, aiming to create an experience of "elegant traveling".
The design concept is inspired by the leopard. This is reflected in the headlight design (a leopard's gaze), the vehicle's stance, and interior elements influenced by Chinese culture and nature.
Lepas is launching with a lineup of three SUVs built on a new energy platform that supports battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV), and range-extender (REEV) powertrains.
Initial offerings include the L8 and L6 (both medium-sized), and L4 (compact). All-electric models are capable of accelerating from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds and offer a WLTP range of up to 600km. Hybrid options feature 1.5 and 2.0-litre turbo engines.
The brand has ambitious global plans, aiming to sell one million cars within three years and establish 1800 stores across 43 countries. Lepas is scheduled to arrive in Australia in 2026 and New Zealand in 2026/27.
New models from Omoda & Jaecoo
Omoda pulled the silk off its sporty 4 crossover and then upped the ante with the even sportier (in looks) Omoda 4 Ultra. Omoda 7 was showcased, Chery had its "7-in-1" transforming SUV on display, and we got to drive the new Chery Tiggo 9 and Jaecoo 5 HEV.
On the subject of driving, we were first invited to get down and dirty with the iCar and Jaecoo J6 on a sodden and muddy off-road course, which had both vehicles slipping and sliding; but they successfully completed the small trek, a feat made more impressive due to their road tyres.
Less impressive (due to the actual time spent in driver’s seat), were the tests of the Jaecoo J5 HEV - which was literally a 60-metre brake test - and the equally unfulfilling Omoda 5.
However, we did manage to get more time with the Lepas 8, Tiggo 7 HEV and Tiggo 9 AWD, which did perform well for larger, family-sized SUVs, with the Tiggo 9 showing an extra boost of power at speeds of over 100km/h.
One of the highlights of the "drives" was experiencing the self-parking feature of the Tiggo 9 and Lepas 8. Not only do they source and park in record time (around 20 seconds), but they will even park while you're outside the car - although you do have stay within a couple of metres of the vehicle, which for me, defeats the object. Impressive nonetheless.
It was a whirlwind of a week in Wuhu, but a real eye-opener as to what Chery is up to. It's pushing the envelope in virtually every aspect of the business, from products and brands, to technology and safety, and even keeping an eye on sustainability. There’s a lot to digest and plenty more to come, it would appear.
