Six new Omoda and Jaecoo models – two for Omoda and four for Jaecoo – are set to arrive in the UK over the next couple of years to further boost the Chinese group Chery’s growth ambitions here.
With the Jaecoo 7 the UK’s best-selling car in March and parent company Chery International’s UK market share more than doubling so far this year compared to last, the Chinese car maker has announced plans to up global sales from one million in its first three years to a million cars a year from 2027.
The UK is one of Chery International’s shining stars. So much so, it was used as an example of best practice to the rest of the world during a business summit at the company’s HQ in Wuhu, China this week. And UK buyers are set to be offered even more choice in Omoda and Jaecoo showrooms, with the addition of three new brands coming soon.
Lepas has already been confirmed with a three-strong range of design-led SUVs, with rugged 4x4 brand iCar following suit and the reborn Freelander family likely to follow.
Even though Omoda and Jaecoo have only been on sale in the UK for two years, they’re Chery’s more established brands. Omoda already sells the Omoda 5, Omoda 7 and Omoda 9 models, with Jaecoo pushing the best-selling Jaecoo 7 and smaller Jaecoo 5 Range Rover lookalikes.
Omoda has already confirmed the arrival of the smaller Omoda 4 – a compact crossover hybrid, but which is also likely to be available as a fully electric model. Meanwhile, Jaecoo will shortly be bringing its largest model, the Jaecoo 8, to market.
However, at the Chery International Business Summit, Shawn Xu, Vice President of Chery international and CEO of Omoda & Jaecoo International, revealed more models that are set to boost both brands’ line-ups.
On the Omoda side, a heavily-revised version of the Omoda 5 is likely to turn up soon and was shown at the Summit. An even smaller Omoda 2 all-electric SUV – at around 4.2-meters long – is also expected, and could undercut the likes of the Volkswagen ID. Cross, Kia EV2 and Skoda Epiq.
A larger Omoda model, codenamed T1QC, was described by Xu as a “tougher crossover” and will be around 4.6-meters long, have four-wheel-drive capability, and sit between the Omoda 5 and Omoda 7.
The four new Jaecoos include a small version of the Omoda 2, set to be called the Jaecoo 3. Xu wouldn’t give too many details away on that car other than to say “it’s a small segment so the price will be low.” A range-topping Jaecoo 9 at close to five meters in length is also due to be launched.
Xu explained the thinking behind a new Jaecoo codenamed T1TP, saying: “T1TP is something we mainly consider for the traditional market, which is big space. At Jaecoo we are armed for big space and this car is for the sort of people who might enjoy fishing and need to have the bigger space.”
Finally the biggest Jaecoo model, at around 5.4-meters long and with the codename KP31, was confirmed by Xu as being “a big pick-up”.
Omoda and Jaecoo will focus on what it calls New Energy Vehicles using its Super Hybrid Systems – both plug-in and self-charging hybrids – as well as its Super EVs. Continuing the super theme, upcoming cars will benefit from a new operating system for its infotainment called Super Intelligent OS, while the brands also demoed Chery’s latest self-parking tech called Super Intelligent Valet Parking.
As well as new cars in Omoda and Jaecoo showrooms, Chery International also debuted its AiMoga robotic brand, with humanoid robots said to assist sales staff and customers in showrooms, giving them additional information about the cars.
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