Chery, a vehicle manufacturer from China, announced that it has established Chery South Africa – its first wholly-owned subsidiary on the African continent.
“The announcement makes South Africa the newest member of a global network, with a family of over 9.5 million owners across more than 80 countries and regions,” said Chery.
The local subsidiary will now get to work on appointing the first dealerships and preparing for the introduction of vehicles – which are expected to land in the country towards the end of 2021.
The next step
According to Chery, the South African subsidiary is only the first step in growing its continental footprint.
“South Africa is a very important market for us. Customers have high expectations and we want to meet and exceed them,” said Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager, Chery South Africa.
“Once we have established a firm foothold in this market, we will use the expertise in the country and its import position as a springboard into the rest of the continent.”
The company will bolster its South African entry by establishing 30 dealerships in the region during the fourth quarter of this year.
“Chery will back these dealers with a large parts warehouse, strong mechanical warranty and service plans, and a comprehensive 24-hour roadside assistance service,” said the company.
In addition, Chery said it is also considering launching its existing app in the local market – which will allow an owner to monitor their vehicle’s status directly from their smartphone, as well as book service appointments from their registered Chery dealer.
Chery cars in South Africa
Chery said that while its cars have been available in South Africa since 2007, the company has since reinvented itself and a wide range of new vehicles will be introduced.
These will “surprise even the most avid car fan”.
According to Chery, its EQ1 and EQ5 electric vehicles boast a combined 10 awards from the China EV Rally in 2021, while its 1.6-litre, internal combustion engine was “voted one of the 10 Best Engines in the China Heart awards”.
It stated that its new hybrid engines are capable of maintaining a 1.0l/100km fuel consumption, too, while being able to sprint to 100km/h in five seconds.
Furthermore, Chery has invested heavily into its suite of technologies that are fitted in their vehicles’ cabins.
“When we introduce our first [new] models in South Africa, customers will be excited to see that our focus is not only on the technology under the skin, but also in the cabin,” said Liu.
“Our range of intelligent driving assistance systems is world-class, and we are a leader in the field of high-resolution screens, and touch and voice-control technologies.”
Keyword: Chery South Africa officially launched – 30 dealerships coming