By Nick Carey
LONDON (Reuters) -Chery said on Tuesday it will launch sales of its Chery brand in Britain in the coming weeks with two new SUV models, joining a growing number of Chinese automakers and brands competing for share in one of Europe’s most competitive car markets.
Chery launched its Omoda brand in Britain last August, followed by its Jaecoo brand in January.
The company did not provide details of the two models, but said they would be “optimised for the local market” and would go on sale at its dealerships across the country.
Gary Lan, who heads the Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo brands in Britain said the launch “reflects our confidence in the UK automotive sector, and the appeal of our vehicles to local buyers”.
Chinese rival Geely said last week it will launch its Geely brand in Britain with its electric EX5 SUV due to go on sale in the fourth quarter.
Britain is Europe’s biggest market for electric vehicles and, unlike the European Union, has not imposed tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars.
Changan will also start selling its electric Deepal S07 SUV to British consumers this year, with deliveries starting in September.
BYD, Xpeng and SAIC’s MG brand are already selling cars in Britain, as is Leapmotor via a joint venture with world No. 4 automaker Stellantis.
Last year, Chery’s global sales jumped 38% to 2.6 million vehicles, making it the world’s 12th largest automaker.
(Reporting by Nick Carey, Editing by Louise Heavens)
