Chery Launches First European Operations Hub, Building Localized "Operations + R&D + Production" Ecosystem

On April 8, 2026, Chery Automobile officially inaugurated its European Operations Center in Barcelona, Spain, and simultaneously established the Spain R&D Institute. This center marks Chery’s first regional operations hub in Europe, integrating functions such as market operations, compliance management, supply chain coordination, finance, and public affairs—signaling a strategic shift from product introduction to systematic local operations in the European market. The newly launched Spain R&D Institute focuses on electrification, intelligent mobility, and sustainability. It will engage in work aligned with European standards, including data protection and environmental compliance, and plans to hire local engineers, product developers, and operations personnel to enhance product localization capabilities. As of early 2026, Chery had expanded its business to 18 European countries, serving over 100,000 customers cumulatively. From January to February 2026 alone, Chery sold 39,000 vehicles in the UK and EU markets—a 200% year-on-year increase—with 11,500 of those being new energy vehicles (NEVs), up 250% year-over-year. Europe accounted for 20% of Chery’s total NEV exports, making it one of the brand’s most significant regions for NEV exports by volume. In the Spanish market, Chery’s OMODA and JAECOO brands, introduced in 2024, have collectively surpassed 40,000 units in sales, with NEVs representing over 80% of that volume. In 2025, this dual-brand portfolio ranked among the top ten in private retail sales in Spain, demonstrating strong consumer acceptance at the retail level. On the manufacturing front, Chery partnered with Spain’s EV MOTORS in 2024 to restart the former Nissan plant in Barcelona, repurposing it for production of EBRO-branded vehicles. The project has created more than 1,000 local jobs and provides Chery with actual production capacity within the EU, offering a strategic buffer against trade and tariff risks. Chery has now established a “triangular” footprint in Europe—comprising an operations center, localized R&D, and local manufacturing—diverging from earlier Chinese automakers’ reliance on export agents or basic assembly models and instead adopting a regional management structure akin to that of established European carmakers. As of early 2026, Chery Group had served over 19 million users globally, including 6.23 million overseas customers, with operations spanning more than 130 countries and regions. It has ranked as China’s top passenger vehicle exporter for 23 consecutive years—accounting for one out of every five Chinese-made cars exported worldwide. The launch of the European Operations Center is widely seen as a pivotal step in Chery’s transition from an “export-driven” model to “deep regional operations.” Its future success will hinge on sustained investment and execution capabilities in localized product development, talent development, and supply chain integration.