Speaking to Corporate Car ahead of the launch of the Lepas brand in the UK, Omoda, Jaecoo and Lepas Fleet Sales Director Chris Clayton discusses how fleet business has been performing and outlines the company's plans, including the arrival of the new brand.

The Omoda, Jaecoo and Chery brands are still relatively new to the UK, so I asked Chris how they have performed in the fleet sector?

Clayton said: "As an industry, fleet accounts for approximately 60% of car registrations in the UK, so is a very important part of our business model, and we are working hard to make our presence felt in the sector. We launched Omoda UK in Great Britain in August 2024, then Jaecoo UK in January 2025 and Chery UK in September 2025, so we’re still a very young brand house in the UK market.

"However, in our first year and a half on sale in the UK, we already saw our market share standing at 4.5% for Omoda and Jaecoo combined – of course, Chery UK only launched towards the end of that period. We know there is huge potential for us to grow and we have been extremely encouraged by the response from fleet operators, leasing companies and corporate customers.

"Our strong product proposition, highly competitive total cost of ownership, generous specification levels and industry-leading warranties have resonated well with fleet buyers. And as our model range continues to expand across all our brands, we expect our fleet presence to strengthen significantly.

"We are also investing in our fleet infrastructure, developing relationships with key industry partners and ensuring we have the products, aftersales support and network capability required to become a long-term and trusted partner for UK businesses. While we are still at the beginning of our journey, the early performance of Omoda&Jaecoo, coupled with the entrance of Chery and the imminent arrival of Lepas later on this year [Q3 2026], gives us great confidence that fleet will become an increasingly important driver of growth for our business in the years ahead."

With three established brands already in the market, I ask Chris where he sees the fleet opportunity for Lepas in the UK?   

Clayton said: "This is an interesting question, because I see different fleet opportunities for each of the brands, though inevitably there will be some crossover – that’s unavoidable for any multi-brand house. We’re looking to focus different models into individual sectors, so likely Chery in salary sacrifice or Omoda aimed at the public sector, but Lepas will be the brand with the strongest electrification proposition, so we can really target salary sacrifice specialists and businesses looking to accelerate their transition to low-emission mobility. The arrival of the Lepas L8 plug-in hybrid with its Super Hybrid powertrain and 745-mile total range is already proving to be a great point of interest for the fleet market.

"The fleet market is evolving rapidly, with both businesses and employees increasingly seeking premium, technology-led electric vehicles that offer strong value and low running costs. We believe Lepas is ideally positioned to meet that demand, combining advanced electrified powertrains, high levels of specification and attractive total cost of ownership. Frankly, we feel that as more organisations look to reduce their carbon footprint and provide appealing employee benefits, Lepas has the potential to become a compelling choice for both fleet managers and drivers alike.

"Ultimately, our multi-brand strategy allows us to address different customer needs across the fleet sector without adopting a one-size-fits-all approach. Lepas will play a crucial role within that strategy, enabling us to broaden our reach and strengthen our position in the UK's growing electrified fleet market."

I move on to ask Chris if his fleet team able to sell across all the brands?

Clayton said: "Our fleet team is structured to support the entire brand house and is continually evolving as we expand our portfolio in the UK. We initially focused on establishing Omoda&Jaecoo in the fleet sector, but as we introduce additional brands, including Chery and Lepas, our team is developing the expertise and resources needed to represent each brand effectively.

Today, we have a dedicated fleet team of 15 professionals covering operations, corporate sales, leasing, broker relationships and marketing. This is complemented by a team of four virtual account managers and business development managers who provide additional support to our retail partners and fleet customers across the country."

Short-cycle business is an important part of many manufacturers' fleet strategies, so I asked Chris how important it is to the company – and whether he's done much with any of the brands.

Clayton said: "Short-cycle business certainly forms part of our overall fleet strategy, but it’s a small part in truth. We recognise the important role that rental and short-cycle channels play in increasing brand visibility, introducing new customers to our products and supporting residual values when managed in a disciplined way.

"As our portfolio expands with Omoda, Jaecoo, Chery and Lepas, we will continue to assess opportunities within the short-cycle market, but always with a focus on quality, customer experience and delivering long-term value for our partners and our brands.

I then asked Chris which models have proved most popular with fleet and corporate customers in the UK.

Clayton said: "Since launching in the UK, we have seen strong interest in the Omoda 5 and Jaecoo 7, both of which have resonated well with corporate and fleet customers thanks to their combination of high specification, competitive pricing and strong value proposition. More recently, the Jaecoo 5, in particular Jaecoo E5, has experienced a surge of interest among fleet buyers, particularly from customers seeking a compact SUV that combines premium design, advanced technology and impressive efficiency.

"More broadly, fleet customers are responding positively to our approach of delivering highly specified vehicles as standard, backed by competitive warranties and attractive total cost of ownership. As our portfolio continues to grow across Omoda, Jaecoo, Chery and Lepas, we expect to see demand diversify further, with different models serving different areas of the fleet market and enabling us to appeal to an even wider range of customers.

"The early success of the Omoda 5, Jaecoo 7 and now the Jaecoo 5 and Omoda 7, gives us real confidence that there is significant appetite in the UK fleet market for a fresh, high-value alternative to the established players. As we grow our offering in the UK, we we always have one eye on our fleet side of the business, to make sure we’re offering the right product for an array of audiences."

My final question for Chris was about his fleet and corporate plans for the remainder of this year – and beyond.

Clayton said: "Put simply, our plan is to continue expanding and growing the business. As a young company in the UK, we are very hungry for success yet with the backing of Chery International – the largest exporter of cars from China for 23 years and counting – we’re establishing our footprint with long-term growth in mind.

Our focus for the remainder of this year is to continue building our presence across the fleet and corporate sectors by strengthening relationships with leasing companies, brokers and corporate customers, while further enhancing our fleet infrastructure and support capabilities. We are also committed to increasing awareness of our brands and ensuring more fleet operators and company car drivers experience our products first-hand, as well as investing a lot in our aftermarket side of the business.

"Ultimately, our objective is to establish ourselves as a significant and trusted player within the UK fleet market. We are still near the beginning of our journey, but the momentum we have built so far gives us great confidence that the best is yet to come."