Chery Automobile

About Chery Automobile

Chery Automobile Co. Ltd., trading as Chery (Chinese: 奇瑞; pinyin: Qíruì), is a Chinese automobile manufacturer. Founded in 1997, it is currently the third largest automobile manufacturer group in China, with 2,806,393 vehicles sold in 2025. The company is headquartered in Wuhu, Anhui. Chery was founded in 1997 by government officials of Wuhu, who appointed Yin Tongyue, the current chairman, as the company's first technical director. Chery launched its first car called the Fengyun in 1999, a copy the SEAT Toledo Mk1 (itself based on the Volkswagen Golf Mk 2 chassis) using an engine production line from Ford Dagenham. During its early years, Chery used technologies from other manufacturers; some were licensed and others were acquired by reverse engineering. This led to a lawsuit in 2003 filed by General Motors alleging that Chery had copied the design of one of its cars. Chery has since developed and improved its technologies. Since 2006, Chery has produced its engines branded as ACTECO, which it also sells to other manufacturers. Until 2025, the company used to be a subsidiary of Chery Holding Group Co., Ltd and under the ownership of the Wuhu municipal government.