Chinese vehicle manufacturer Chery has announced that it will open a new research and development centre in the UK, set to open later this year. The facility will be based at the UTAC Millbrook proving ground, which has been utilised by other OEMs for decades to fine-tune vehicles for UK and European roads.
Chery deepens its presence in the UK with new local research centre
The move comes after Chery has already made a significant impact on the UK’s car market, bringing brands such as Omoda, Jaecoo, Chery, and Lepas to the market. Its plug-in hybrid Range Rover lookalike, the Jaecoo 7, has been a particular hit, earlier this year becoming the best selling car of the month of March – and it remains the best-selling Chinese car in the UK. With plans to bring additional models to the UK in the near future, including more fully-electric models, it’s no surprise that Chery has chosen this moment to deepen its understanding of the UK market.
The UK R&D site will help attract new automotive talent, and basing it at Millbrook in particular gives the company direct access to a range of testing laboratories and over 70 kilometres of testing routes, which will allow it to further fine tune vehicles to the UK’s unique roads.
Chery isn’t the only Chinese EV manufacturer to base research and development within the UK. In fact, Changan Automobile, despite only recently beginning UK sales, has been undertaking R&D in the country for 16 years, resulting in models which it claims have had suspension and ADAS tweaks to performs specifically on UK roads, such as the Deepal S05.
Gary Lan, CEO of Chery International UK, said on LinkedIn:
“For more than two decades, we carefully evaluated the right moment to enter the UK market. Since launching OMODA&JAECOO and expanding our portfolio with Chery and LEPAS, we have focused on building a sustainable and meaningful presence. The next step is investing in local engineering capability and integrating UK customer feedback directly into our product development process.
The initial focus of the Chery Automobile R&D Centre of Excellence will be on chassis dynamics and ADAS tuning and calibration, ensuring our vehicles are optimised for the unique demands of UK roads and driving preferences.
The insights and innovations will contribute to Chery Automobile’s global R&D network, strengthening our ability to develop world-class products for customers worldwide.
We’ll also create opportunities to attract and develop engineering talent in the UK while supporting future work in autonomous driving, artificial intelligence, and other advanced technologies.”
