Charlie Zhang, vice president of Omoda and Jaecoo, about success in Spain

Ten Spanish journalists enter the glazed room of The huge central headquarters of Omoda and Jaecoo in Wuhu, China. After a few minutes of informal talk in front of small masts with flags from China and Spain, Charlie Zhang, Vice President of Chery, the matrix appears.

Zhang wears current glasses, almost military haircut, ironed navy suit, buttoned white shirt without twins. Naked dolls and fingers except a Apple Watch Series 10. Classic black shoes. Nothing in his outfit shouts ostentation. Everything in its bearing transmits control. “This man reminds us,” I think, “that it is the management of the kingdom and not the luxury of his scepter that does to the king.”

Breaking stereotypes

I start the group interview myself asking what the greatest change in the perception of Western consumers towards Chinese cars in the last year, thinking about persistent stereotypes around them. You don’t need to think about it:

The stereotype has deflated at the speed of our sales. When we launched Omoda and Jaecoo in Spain, in February 2024, we feared some suspicion. Twelve months later we sell 2,000 units per month and receive floods of questions about our batteries and the semi -autonomous driving software.

The manager assumes that certain reservations have not disappeared – “they still exist, although very attenuated” – but Underline a change of perception: quality is no longer questioned, but speed with which Chinese technology advances in batteries, lidar and pure electric. The room shalls timidly: it is difficult to contradict him after touring Chery’s stand in Shanghai.

Why start with Spain and not by Germany or France, with more population and per capita income? Zhang himself alludes to our market as a “open entrance door” and confesses that the strategy has been deliberate:

  1. Curious and “open mind” consumers.
  2. Fragmented competition.
  3. And the possibility of release local production with the Ebro brand, the historic Spanish teaching Risen at the old Nissan plant in Barcelona.

European factory and deployment

The road map is ambitious: Phase 1 of the factory for 100,000 units per year and objective of 200,000 as soon as possible. And according to Zhang, they consider opening a second factory in Europe. The beginning of the production of the omoda 5 EV and the JAECOO 5 EV It is scheduled for November of this year.

That capacity, emphasizes, will be key to avoiding tariffs and meet the European demand of 40 % of components produced in the old continent.

The current and future catalog will be like this:

Omoda:

  • Present: Omoda 5.
  • In 2025: omoda 7 and Omoda 9.
  • Propulsions: gasoline, HEV hybrid, PHEV plug -in hybrid and 100% Electric Bev.

Jaecoo:

  • Present: Jaecoo 7.
  • In 2025: Jaecoo 5 and Jaecoo 8.
  • Propulsions: same four variants that omods.

Ebro:

  • Present: S700 and S800.
  • In 2025: S400 and S900.
  • Propulsions: Phev and Hev.

Each of these new teachers will have independent general directions in Spain (as already happens with Ebro in front of the Omoda-Jaecoo duo), allowing internal competition that seeks to maximize market penetration.

The manager stops in the three acronyms that are marked his recent releases: SHS, Super Hybrid System: Dedicated Atkinson Cycle Motor, 44.5% thermine efficiency (in development it is to reach 48%) and batteries of 18 to 34 kWh that would carry the real electrical autonomy of omoda 9 to 150 km.

“The border between A PHEV AND A BEV It is blurred, “proclaims. It is not hyperbole: recharge times promise 400 kilometers in ten minutes thanks to the 800 V architecture, and semi -solid battery prototypes circulate at its table after 2027.

Zhang 1
Zhang 1

Image: Xataka.

It comes out in the conversation, of course, the tariff issue and research Antidumping Open in Brussels. Zhang is pragmatic:

  • Plan a: negotiate a “minimum price” to avoid tariff increase.
  • Plan b: produce in the EU (Barcelona first, another floor later) and reach 60% European content with suppliers such as Bosch or Faurecia.
  • Plan c: Assess “strategic alliances” with hurry manufacturers. When listening to options like Ford or especially Stellantishe responds with a smile and an ambiguous “everything is on the table.”

The bet, he insists, is “for Europe, in Europe.” And behind another idea beats: be perceived as industrial employers, not only as importers.

The group has also confirmed the launch in Europe of new brands: ICAR It will be something that they will “try” to bring at the end of the year, with their pure electric and extended autonomy (REEV). Exlatixthe group’s premium brand will first reach Nordic countries in 2026 and subsequently to Spain. Although without a precise date, its launch seems safe, but we will have to wait.

LEPAS It would arrive after Exlatix, with a totally electrified range through its 4, 6 and 8 models and Luxeedwhich would be the last, towards the end of 2026, would arrive with several electric and extended autonomy models: S7 and R7, direct competitors of Tesla with brutal interior finishes that we could try first hand.

Almost in the end I ask another question: where they are paying better omoda and Jaecoo, both worldwide and European.

  • In the world, the United Kingdom leads with 3,000 units per month just six months after its launch. Malaysia is also giving joys thanks to the 1,200 monthly sales of Jaecoo 7 Phev and its extended autonomy. Brazil, Chile and Peru also deserve their mention thanks to the “exceptional reaction” to their recent landing.
  • In continental Europe, Spain – Spain – leads, and Poland and Italy follow our wake. Germany and France will arrive in the second half of this year through its own subsidiaries, because, according to Zhang, “to call us Europeans we need to sell where six out of ten cars are enrolled.”

Zhang also specifies concrete objectives for Spain: moving from the current 2,000 monthly units of Omoda and Jaecoo between 4,000 and 5,000, while Ebro are expected between 2,000 and 3,000 per month.

Zhang 3
Zhang 3

Image: Xataka.

Zhang advances to the question about hydrogen: The fuel battery already rolls … in Chery heavy trucks. For cars, the most promising vector is the e-combustible as a complement to electrification. “Three years” is his horizon for a solid battery pilot, provided that energy density and security justify the extra cost.

And the executive returns, again and again, to the after -sales. He knows that the first purchase wins the product, but the second wins the workshop. Chery opens this quarter a spare parts warehouse in Zaragoza and will negotiate with the Ebro network to share infrastructure. “We cannot afford to fail in quality, the margin of error in Europe is zero.”

Between the lines

Chery’s main competitive weapon is the speed: seven launches in twelve months bring their product cadence more to that of a smartphones manufacturer than to that of a car manufacturer to use.

That hurry has a trick. The location that Zhang promises does not go through “nationalizing” the entire chain, but by assembling those pieces that suddenly reduce CO2 of fleet and tariffs: batteries, high voltage wiring and part of the motor train.

Another hidden message: electric B segment is orphan while Renault 5 e-tech and Volkswagen ID.2 They reach production. A four -meter omoda could occupy that hole before French or Germans react. At the moment they have just announced omoda 3, available from October, with a price still confirmed. The key will be how close or far from the 27,000 euros of which it starts 5.

Finally, Brand architecture works as multicapa umbrella: Omoda for the young public crossoverJaecoo for the SUV Campero, Ebro as a local anchor and perhaps, at some point, Exlatix as a global aspirational. Few companies have tried so many domino pieces at the same time … and first.

In addition, Zhang recently stood out after meeting with President Pedro Sánchez in Beijin that China considers Spain a very loyal partnergreatly facilitating the investment climate. Chery plans to close the year using some 1,000 people in their Barcelona factory, becoming the largest Chinese company in Spain by volume of employment.

Do like us on this trip and Stay connected whatever your destination. Always navigate at high speed and With unlimited data with the ESIM from Holafly and forget about unpleasant surprises on the bill. Easy to install, keeping your physical Sim card to receive calls and No positions of Roaming. And with a 5 % discount!

Council offered by the brand

The agreed time is drained between answers and annotations. Zhang asks feedback And it promises that omoda 5 hev, fundamental for the echo label, will arrive “before the end of June.” And we are almost in May.

By saying goodbye, group photo, handshakes, thumbs up and a brief round of “Xièxie“And” Thank you “that the day seals. Now it is the turn of the Italians. Safe.

In Xataka | Europe has focused on stopping Chinese electric cars. The true threat is in its cars with combustion engines

Outstanding image | Chery

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