Chery includes Malaysia in R&D expansion, targets 70% local assembly overseas

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is part of Chery Group’s plan to expand its research and development network to 26 centres worldwide, alongside a push to assemble more vehicles in the overseas markets where it operates.

The plans were outlined at the Chery International User Summit 2026 in Wuhu, China, where the group also discussed its focus on family cars, growth in hybrid and EV sales, and new charging technology due to start rolling out in 2027.

The R&D plans are the main local development, although the announcement did not specify a location or opening date.

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Chery targets more local assembly by 2027

According to Zhang Guibing, Executive Vice President of Chery Automobile, locally assembled vehicles accounted for 41% of the group’s overseas operations in 2025. Chery expects that share to reach 70% by 2027.

The approach involves building up local expertise and supplier networks alongside vehicle production, with closer ties to universities, research institutions and business partners in each market.

"Localisation goes beyond building vehicles. It includes investing in local talent, working closely with universities and research institutions, nurturing local supply chains and listening directly to customers so that we can continuously improve our products and services," Zhang explained.

R&D forms another part of that effort. From an initial network of 16 overseas R&D centres, Chery is working towards 26 centres worldwide, including in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. The aim is to give its development teams a better understanding of what buyers need in each market.

Zhang also called for greater cooperation across the automotive industry.

"There is little value in competing for the sake of competition. What matters is how we work together with industry leaders to advance technology and create better mobility solutions,” he said.

Family buyers remain the focus for the Chery brand

While the wider group operates several brands, Zhang said Chery itself would continue to focus on family buyers. He described understanding customers as a longer-term priority beyond simply increasing sales.

"Different brands within the Chery Group serve different customer segments and fulfil different roles. For the Chery brand, our direction remains clear, creating products and technologies that serve families and deliver meaningful value to our customers," said Zhang.

Chery reported cumulative sales of 1.36 million vehicles in the first half of 2026, placing the group ninth globally according to the figures presented. It also cited 23 consecutive years as China’s leading passenger vehicle exporter, with a presence across both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive markets.

Its electrified vehicle business is growing, too. Sales of New Energy Vehicles (NEVs), covering plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs), increased by 145% year on year between January and September 2026.

"Many people ask how Chery has achieved so much in a relatively short period of time. Our journey spans 25 years across more than 130 markets with over 7.4 million users worldwide. We have always remained close to our customers, listened to their needs and respected their expectations. That has been the foundation of our growth," he said.

New charging technology planned from 2027

Chery also outlined plans to begin rolling out Hyper Second Charging (HSC) and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technologies in 2027. Markets named for the planned deployment include the United Kingdom, Spain and Thailand. No Malaysian rollout date was given for either technology.

Robotics featured at the summit as well, including the debut of MOBO, the first home companion humanoid robot from Chery’s AiMOGA.

The group sees potential uses for its robotics technology in commercial services, healthcare, public services, home assistance and manufacturing.

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