Chery plans Canada production and South Africa build as it eyes North America
· Automotive & EV · China · Canada
Chery is weighing local production in Canada, assessing idle capacity at existing plants and exploring partnerships with potential investors, with a sales launch planned for 2027. Separately, the Chinese automaker will build the Omoda C4 at the former Nissan Rosslyn plant in South Africa, letting it present itself as a local manufacturer as its Omoda and Jaecoo brands grow. Chery International executive vice president Charlie Zhang told Reuters the company is open to partnerships with US carmakers to enter the North American market, and that cars without Chinese hardware or software are possible. Chery has been China's No. 1 car exporter for 23 straight years. The moves mark a push to localise production in overseas markets rather than rely on exports.
Why it matters：Chery's parallel moves in Canada and South Africa show Chinese automakers localising production to get around trade barriers and political scrutiny, reshaping how they enter Western markets.
Key points
- Chery plans a sales launch in Canada in 2027 while assessing idle plant capacity.
- It will build the Omoda C4 at the former Nissan Rosslyn plant in South Africa.
- Chery is open to US partnerships and could build cars without Chinese hardware or software.
Sources (original reporting)
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