Chery may currently sell only one model in Australia, but the automaker was one of China’s largest in the first half of this year in terms of exports.
It exported 394,000 vehicles in the first half of 2023, 347,000 of which wore Chery badging. That put it ahead of Tesla (182,434), which produces the Model 3 and Model Y in China.
No fewer than four Cherys were in the list of the top 10 Chinese passenger car exports in H1 2023, with a total of six in the top 20.
Omoda 5
Looking at individual models, the Tesla Model Y took first place with 112,632 units, followed by MG in second spot with 85,279 ZS crossovers, and the Chery Tiggo 7 in third with 80,201 units.
Chery also took the sixth and seventh positions with its Tiggo 5x and Omoda 5 models, notching up 64,097 and 62,494 exports respectively, placing them just behind Tesla Model 3 and MG’s MG 4 hatch (badged Mulan in China).
Rounding out the top 10 is another Chery, the Tiggo 8 – a mid-sized SUV with an export volume of 44,376 vehicles.
Tiggo 5x
CNEV Post reports Chery was second behind only SAIC Motor, one of the Chinese big four automakers, in terms of export volume.
SAIC Motor exported 483,000 vehicles, though the company hasn’t shared how many of these wore MG or LDV/Maxus badging. That means Chery’s namesake brand could potentially have been China’s largest in terms of export volumes.
In Australia, Chery has managed to capture no less than a 4.6 per cent market share in the small SUV segment under $45K for the month of July with its Omoda 5, which only arrived here in March 2023.
Tiggo 8 Pro
Chery intends to add a more powerful 1.6-litre turbo version to the mix, as well as the possibility of the Omoda 5 EV, which pairs a 61kWh battery with a single electric motor producing 150kW and 340Nm and a maximum range of 450km on the WLTP cycle.
Looking further forward, Chery has a cadence of product earmarked for this market, commencing with its Tiggo 7 Pro launch in the second half of 2023, followed by the larger Tiggo 8 Pro which is expected to arrive locally in the first quarter of 2024.
The Tiggo 7 Pro is an SUV similar in size to the Mazda CX-5, and will initially come only with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine.
Tiggo 7 Pro e+
It’s paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and makes 145kW of power and 290Nm of torque – that’s more than the equivalent Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, both of which produce a maximum 132kW and 265Nm from their 1.6T four pots.
Nevertheless, one of the more interesting versions available is the Tiggo 7 Pro e+, which is a plug-in hybrid that pairs two electric motors with a 1.5-turbo petrol engine for a combined output of 180kW and 510Nm to all four wheels, giving a pure electric range of 75km.
Chery also has the same battery electric powertrain used in the Omoda 5 EV available for the Tiggo 7 Pro. Whether or not it will chose one over the other or add both versions to the range is anyone’s guess.
More details on Chery Australia’s upcoming models will be revealed closer to the Tiggo 7 Pro launch later in the year, so stay tuned.
