Nissan has officially announced that it will enter an agreement with the Chinese Chery Group, which will allow Chery to build cars at its factory in Sunderland, in the north-east UK.
This sounds significant…
It is. There has been a rash of potential and proposed deals between Chinese and European car makers to take up slack car-making space in big factories, and this is one of the first to be officially announced, although it should be said that for now this is, per Nissan 'a non-binding agreement and discussions are ongoing between the two companies, with no further details to be made public at this stage.”
Who is Chery?
Chery hasn't made it to Irish shores yet, but it's already a big noise in the UK, where it offers three different brands - Chery, Omoda, and Jaecoo. The names might be odd, but Jaecoo has really broken through with UK buyers, and its Jaecoo 7 hybrid-engined SUV has been the best-selling car in the UK on more than a few occasions over the past two years. The three brands are due to arrive in Ireland shortly, but we're waiting to hear whether Chery will set up its own Irish operation or use a local importer.
Click here to read our Chery car reviews.
What cars will Chery make in Sunderland?
That's very much TBC at this stage. Production of Chery models, on Line One in Sunderland, which also builds the Qashqai and the Leaf (click here for our Nissan reviews), won't start until 2027, so everything's still being decided. While it might seem logical to build an EV to avoid European tariffs, the fact that the UK is very much post-Brexit might mean it makes more sense to build the Jaecoo 7 in Sunderland to supply the local market, which seems ravenous for the car.
Click here to read our Jaecoo car reviews.
Massimiliano Messina, Chairperson for Nissan in Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, said: "This is an important step forward for our operations. We are looking forward to working with Chery International UK in the coming months to finalise a position that is optimal for both companies.”