Chery is stepping up its expansion in Europe by exploring partnerships with established carmakers that could allow it to use their existing factories.
Speaking at the launch of the Omoda and Jaecoo brands in France, Lionel French Keogh, Chery’s chief commercial officer for France, said the company is actively looking for additional production capacity across the region.
Chairman Yin Tongyue explained that Chery prefers working with existing manufacturers rather than building a new plant from scratch. He said this approach saves considerable time and resources while helping the company build strong local relationships. Yin added that he hopes to share updates within the coming months, although he declined to identify which companies or countries are involved. France is understood to be among the options under consideration.
Chery has experienced rapid growth in Europe since entering the market in 2023. According to consultancy Dataforce, its sales rose from 17,035 vehicles in 2024 to 120,147 in 2025, reflecting the surge in demand for Chinese brands across the continent. Executives say additional European manufacturing capacity will be essential to meet this demand, respond to EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and comply with requirements for locally sourced components.
The company already operates in Spain through a joint venture with Ebro at a former Nissan factory in Barcelona. Chery aims to increase production there to 200,000 units annually by 2029.
Later this year, Chery will introduce a new model in France and is considering launching a small electric SUV. The company also plans to bring its Lepas brand to Europe.
In recent years, Chery has rapidly transformed from a primarily domestic Chinese automaker into a significant global player. By 2025 (with figures widely reported in early 2026), the company ranked 11th in the world by total vehicle sales, delivering approximately 2.8 million units globally. This places Chery just outside the top ten automakers worldwide—a notable achievement given its relatively short history compared to legacy brands.
Beyond pure sales volume, Chery’s global business scale is also reflected in its position on the Fortune Global 500, where it climbed dramatically to 233rd place in 2025, up from 385th the year before. This sharp rise underscores both strong revenue growth and expanding international operations. A key driver of this growth is exports: Chery has maintained its position as China’s largest passenger car exporter for over two decades, with a substantial portion of its sales now coming from markets outside China.
In regional markets, Chery’s momentum is particularly visible in South Africa. As of 2025–2026, the brand has firmly established itself among the country’s top 10 best-selling automotive brands, frequently ranking around 6th to 8th place overall, depending on the month. It has also become one of the fastest-growing brands in the market, driven by strong demand for models such as the Tiggo SUV range and competitive pricing in the value segment.
Taken together, these indicators position Chery as a borderline top-10 global automaker and one of the most rapidly expanding car manufacturers worldwide, with especially strong traction in emerging markets such as South Africa.
