Chery has been promising it for three years already: that they would enter the US market. In 2020, they even built an SUV specifically designed for the American customers. The move still seems miles away, but Chery claims they will try once again.
The Chinese state-owned carmaker Chery reveals plans to enter the US market. They disclose the fact that they have a strategy to sell their products there in the future, something that we have known for years, without providing a certain timeframe or any other detail. They have already penetrated the Mexican market, so they are right over the border when they decide the time is right.
It is not the first time Chery has tried to enter the United States of America. Back in 2005, it was their first failed attempt. They retried in early 2020, when Chery tried to secure the assistance of an importer. But that attempt failed as well. "I don’t want to repeat the same story," said executive vice president of Chery Mexico, Brian Wu, in a conversation with MotorTrend.
One thing is for sure. If we read between the lines, they are not going to make the move in the near future, but would rather take their time to get everything right on the third try. Furthermore, it seems like it is not a matter of when, but a matter of which brand goes first. "Is it Chery first or Exeed first? Frankly speaking, we haven’t decided," Wu says.
Global brands like Cherry, Exeed, Omoda, and Detour operate under the Chery umbrella. All of them offer internal combustion powertrains, as well as hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and all-electric models, and all of them have recently crossed the Chinese border.
Photo: Chery
But America is yet a distant land for all of them. Wu claims that the company focuses on "energy vehicles" but does not exclude ICEs. For the moment, he is sure that the products available in Mexico under the name Chirey would be able to make it in the American market as well when it comes to quality.
Chirey-branded cars are outselling established brands such as Honda, Subaru, and Suzuki in Mexico. That is why Chery is planning to build a plant in the country and target a yearly capacity of approximately 400,000 vehicles. EVs and PHEVs should reportedly roll off the assembly line there. If Chery does make it to the US this time, they will be close to the target.
In 2020, Chery and Exeed came up with the Vantas, a crossover that they thought would be the password for the US market. It was powered by a 1.6-liter petrol engine that delivered 194 horsepower (197 PS) and 214 lb-ft (290 Nm), delivered to both axles via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. But the Vantas never made it to the US, and we have not heard of it since.
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