Chery Group, a leading global car brand from China, said its new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, Lepas, has signed a distribution agreement with Al Babtain Group, one of the largest diversified business groups in Kuwait.

Under this deal, Lepas will be introducing its premium models L8, L6 and L4 in the country as part of its broader Middle East expansion strategy.

The companies said they will work together to establish sales and service networks and develop localised operations in the market.

The distribution agreement was signed at Chery International’s headquarters in Wuhu, China in the presence of senior executives from both sides.

On the strategic deal, Lepas CEO Zhai Xiaobing said Kuwait was a key step in the brand’s Middle East strategy and would serve as a base for expansion into other regional markets.

"Kuwait represents another key milestone in our Middle East expansion. By leveraging our partner's deep local expertise and mature operational capabilities, we aim to bring the Lepas vision of an elegant lifestyle into practice, and to use this experience as a foundation for expansion into other Middle Eastern markets," he stated.

"Looking ahead, Lepas will continue to advance Chery Group's global strategy of "In somewhere, For somewhere, Be somewhere," deepen localized operations in the Middle East and steadily expand its global presence, delivering new energy mobility experiences that blend technological sophistication with elegant design worldwide," he added.

Founded in 1948, Al-Babtain Group is a leading Kuwaiti industrial conglomerate with operations spread across the GCC region.

"We chose to partner with Lepas not only for its technological capabilities in the new energy sector, but also for its distinctive brand positioning," said a spokesman for the Al Babtain Group.

Lepas’ entry into Kuwait supports its broader strategy of localising production, operations and brand development in overseas markets, he added.-TradeArabia News Service