Chery Automobile officially opened its European Operations Centre in Barcelona on Wednesday, creating the company's first overseas regional operations hub. The automaker described the new facility as a strategic step in its international expansion.
In a statement posted on the company's WeChat account on Thursday, Chery called the Barcelona centre a "key milestone" in its global strategy. At the launch ceremony, Chery chairman Yin Tongyue outlined the purpose of the new hub, saying, "We established the European Operations Centre in Barcelona as Chery’s key operational hub in Europe, hoping to build a system that better understands and serves the European market."
Chery said it has entered 18 European countries and now serves more than 100,000 customers across the region. The company reported that sales in the United Kingdom and the European Union reached 39,000 vehicles in January and February, an increase of 200% year-on-year.
Alongside the operations centre, Chery has opened a Spanish research and development institute. The institute will focus specifically on electrification and intelligent mobility technologies, reflecting the automaker's stated priorities for technological development in Europe.
Context and implications
The establishment of a regional hub in Barcelona and a dedicated R&D institute signals Chery's intent to centralize European operations and localize development activities related to electric and connected vehicle technologies. The company frames the Barcelona centre as a platform to improve understanding of local market needs and to better serve customers across multiple European countries.
What the company disclosed
- Chery launched its European Operations Centre in Barcelona on Wednesday as its first overseas regional hub.
- The company described the move as a "key milestone" in a WeChat statement posted on Thursday.
- Chairman Yin Tongyue said the centre is intended to be Chery's key operational hub in Europe and to build a system to better understand and serve the European market.
- Chery has entered 18 European countries and serves over 100,000 customers in the region.
- Sales in the UK and EU were 39,000 vehicles in January and February, up 200% year-on-year.
- A Spanish R&D institute focused on electrification and intelligent mobility technologies was also opened.
Reporting limitations
The information released by Chery does not include operational timelines, specific investment amounts, staffing plans for the Barcelona hub or the Spanish R&D institute, nor does it provide financial details tied to the expansion. The announcement is limited to the establishment of the hub and R&D institute, sales figures for a two-month period, and the company's statements about strategic intent.