Chinese carmaker Chery is mulling over plans to establish a factory in the UK as it begins to launch its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in the coming months.
Chery is already China’s largest exporter of cars and has held this title for 20 years, but now it sees the UK as an area that is perfect for its ambitious growth plans.
It is eyeing the UK as a potential location for a manufacturing plant to build cars for right-hand drive and export markets.
Speaking to the PA news agency, UK country manager for Chery, Victor Zhang, said: “Localisation is something the industry must be doing in the future – it is of great importance.
“The UK has a lot of potential and it has a unique positioning, especially with its universities linked to the car industry.
“The UK government is showing a positive attitude towards foreign investment, and the UK is a good possibility for us. We are taking this very seriously.”
Zhang’s statements came as the carmaker revealed plans to launch its Omoda and Jaecoo brands in the UK this year.
It has already signed up over 60 dealers to sell the two brands and plans to expand this to 100 and sell 10,000 cars by the end of the year.
The first models to arrive will be the petrol-powered Omoda 5 and electric Omoda E5. The 5 is a Nissan Qashqai-sized crossover and will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, while the electric E5 gets a 204bhp motor and a 61kWh LFP ‘blade’ battery, giving a range of around 250 miles.
Both models will come with a raft of luxuries as standard, including dual 10.25-inch screens, 360-degree cameras, electric seats and acoustic glass.
Omoda is expected to tempt buyers away from traditional rivals with very aggressive pricing. The Omoda 5 is expected to be priced from £24,000, while the E5 is predicted to come in at under £34,000. They would significantly undercut rivals from Nissan and Volkswagen, for example.
Omoda’s more premium sister brand, Jaecoo, will launch its first model in September. The Jaecoo 7 is a Hyundai Tucson-sized SUV and will initially arrive with the same 1.6-litre petrol engine. It’s set to be priced from around £35,000.
A further five more models from Omoda and Jaecoo are expected to arrive on British shores by the end of 2025.