Nissan and Chery have officially confirmed that they are in high-level discussions regarding potential manufacturing operations in Europe. Both parties have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore contract manufacturing of Chery vehicles at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom.
Nissan has clarified that the plant will remain under its full ownership, and the production of Chery models will be handled by Nissan’s existing workforce. The Sunderland facility currently has excess capacity; the company previously announced the consolidation of its production lines, which will free up one line specifically for Chery vehicle assembly.
If the negotiations proceed as planned, production of Chery models could begin as early as the 2027 fiscal year. Nissan expressed strong enthusiasm for the partnership, noting that the vehicles produced will be passenger cars specifically developed for the UK market, though specific models have yet to be disclosed.
It is worth noting that Chery’s portfolio—comprising the Chery, Jetour, and Omoda brands—has demonstrated robust performance in the UK market. In April of this year, the group achieved a combined sales volume of 10,052 units, significantly outperforming Nissan’s 4,079 units during the same period, providing a strong market foundation for this collaboration.
In May, Chery Group reported an export volume of 181,871 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 80.5%. From January to May, the group’s cumulative exports reached 752,755 vehicles, up 69.5% year-on-year. Official data indicates that Chery ranked second in the UK market in April, trailing only Volkswagen, which sold 12,884 units. The gap between the two manufacturers is narrowing significantly.
