Chery Auto to start car sales in Italy in Q3 2024 From Reuters

MILAN (Reuters) – Chery Auto will start sales of the Omoda and Jaecoo brands in Italy in the third quarter, which will be the second European market for the Chinese group.

Allen Jean, the Italian country manager of the company, said this.

By the end of 2025, Chery plans three SUV models for each of the Omoda and Jaecoo brands with engine combinations to serve different European markets.

Chery is one of the many Chinese car manufacturers that are landing on the European market, offering cars at competitive prices with high technological content.

The group already started sales in Spain in the first part of the year and aims to start in the UK and Poland before the end of 2024, in order to expand to other major European markets, Jean said during the presentation in Milan.

Chery’s arrival in Europe comes at a time of heightened trade tensions between China and the European Union, with Brussels investigating Chinese electric car makers for alleged unfair government subsidies.

Chery is also considering building an assembly plant in Europe and has held talks with the Italian government about possible investment there, but is also considering other options, including Spain, sources told Reuters.

For Italy, sales will start with the Omoda 5 crossover and the petrol Jaecoo 7 SUV, which will be followed by the Omoda 5 in an electric version and the Jaecoo 7 plug-in hybrid at the end of 2024.

Chery is not yet releasing information about the price but currently the Omoda 5 petrol sold in Spain starts at 29,900 euros.

Like Chinese competitor BYD, Chery will rely on an established local dealer network, which Jean says will give the group quick access to a wider sales network and loyalty to new products.

“Creating a better after-sales service will also be a priority,” Jean said, adding that Chery is in talks to commit to 40 Italian dealerships, expected to reach around 60 by the end of 2024.

(Giulio Piovaccari, translated by Camilla Borri, edited by Sabina Suzzi)