Chery Weighs Canadian Production Options Using Idle Plants or Local Partners

Chery is considering building vehicles in Canada by utilizing idle plant capacity or teaming up with partners, according to company executive vice president Guibing Zhang. Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg at Chery’s headquarters in Wuhu, China, Zhang stated that the automaker is exploring various options for Canadian production, just days after pushing its Canadian sales launch to early next year. Zhang emphasized that Canada remains a market worth having a local factory for, even without the American market. The automaker is examining unused manufacturing capacity and holding discussions with Canadian investors who have expressed interest in Chinese automakers, though specific companies were not named. Additionally, Chery vice president Charlie Zhang has maintained frequent communication with Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who met with representatives from Chery, BYD, and Geely during a visit to China in June. Guibing Zhang noted that finding ways to combine investments from Chery and other parties to get manufacturing running is something the Canadian government would welcome. If the plan moves forward, Chery could become the first Chinese carmaker with a manufacturing footprint in Canada. The issue of idle automotive capacity has seen significant discussion this year, with reports indicating that BYD, Geely, and Chery have considered Ontario’s CAMI plant, while Stellantis evaluates importing China-built Jeep EVs while its Brampton facility remains idle.