Another Chinese car brand launches in Europe

Chinese car manufacturers are pushing vehemently into Europe. BYD, MG Motors, Polestar are already there. With the large manufacturer Chery, another car manufacturer is now venturing into Europe with two brands, a wide range of engines and attractive prices. Chery Europe boss Jochen Tütig explains in an OÖN interview how market entry works. And when the first cars will come to Austria.

OÖN: Mr. Tüting, Chery is an already established Chinese car manufacturer. Now the entry into the European market has started – what does the timetable look like and in which countries does Chery want to be present?

Jochen Tüting: Our big goal is to be represented across Europe in the medium term. For this reason, we have already founded a sales holding company in the Netherlands. And we have our European development center in Raunheim near Frankfurt/Main.

Which brands and models should Europe be used with?

With the brands Omoda and Jaecoo – and by the end of 2025 there should be at least three models of each brand in Europe.

Which countries are you starting with?

The launch took place four weeks ago in Spain – with the compact SUV Omoda 5, which is 4.40 meters long. It will soon start in Poland, Italy and Great Britain. In a second wave we want to start in Germany, the Netherlands and France. In the larger European countries we will set up our own sales organizations; in smaller countries we want to work with local import organizations, including in Austria.

Why two brands to start with?

We want to start as a volume manufacturer in Europe and give customers a choice from the B to D segment. Omoda models are crossover variants with a more dynamic design, while Jaecoo stands for elegant SUV variants.

Will Chery only offer electric cars?

No, we will also bring combustion engine vehicles with and without all-wheel drive as well as cars with plug-in hybrid drive to Europe.

Why do the drives have multiple tracks? The course for e-mobility has already been set.

The course has been set, yes. But the electrification of vehicle fleets in the various EU countries is progressing very differently. There are EU countries where the charging infrastructure is still in its infancy. Or the income is not yet sufficient for an electric car. And as I said, we want to be represented across Europe. And we want to launch the market now and not in three years. However, there can of course be differences in the individual markets.

So in Norway there are only electric cars and in Poland there are more combustion engines for the time being?

Yes for example.

When will Chery launch in Austria?

We’re trying to do it this year. But: We are looking for a sustainable partnership – and therefore it is not so important whether that happens two months earlier or later. What’s more important is that it fits.

Which brands and vehicles are coming to Austria?

Basically the two brands already mentioned, each with three models and different drives. However, we give the respective import company, which knows the market, a certain amount of leeway when choosing models and drives.

In which price ranges will the vehicles be in Austria?

I can’t say that yet. But in Spain the compact SUV Omoda 5 with a combustion engine currently costs from 27,900 euros. The top model is around 2000 euros more expensive. The electric version of the Omoda 5 with a battery with 64 kilowatt hours and a range of a good 420 kilometers is around 10,000 euros more than the combustion model.

How is sales organized in Austria? Will a dealer network be established? How many locations are we talking about?

We leave that to the importer company, but of course we want to be represented across the board.

Who is Chery Automobiles?

Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. was founded in 1997 and is based in Wuhu City. The group is one of China’s largest car exporters and is currently represented in around 80 countries worldwide. In 2023, 1.88 million cars were produced, half of which were exported; Since Chery was founded, more than 13 million vehicles have been built. Brands are Chery, Riich or Karry – and for Europe Omoda and Jaecoo (combination of Jaeger and Cool).