Chery wants to grow its presence in Brazil through additional brands, locally adapted vehicles and more electrified models, according to Chery International president Guibing Zhang. Speaking at an Omoda Jaecoo event in Wuhu, China, Zhang said the group sees local production and Brazilian engineering as important to its plans. The company is exploring work with local universities, and says adjustments developed in Brazil could later benefit vehicles in other markets.
The group intends to offer seven flex-fuel hybrids in Brazil across Omoda, Jaecoo and Lepas. The Omoda 4 is expected to arrive with a flex-hybrid powertrain; Zhang said three models were planned by August, followed by four more by the end of 2027. Chery is also considering introducing the QQ3, but its prospects depend on whether the car can be produced locally, which the company says would help support the volume needed to compete.
Chery is positioning Lepas as a more premium electrified brand, while iCaur is intended to focus on off-road vehicles. Omoda Jaecoo has about 110 Brazilian dealerships and aims to reach 150 by the end of 2026. The group expects smaller networks of roughly 50 to 60 outlets each for Lepas and iCaur, citing the need for dealers to have enough sales to remain profitable.
A locally built pickup is also under consideration for Brazil under the iCaur brand, but Zhang gave no launch timetable and said local production would be necessary. Chery already makes larger pickups for other markets, including the plug-in-hybrid Stockman/Grootman. The executives declined to discuss the location of a planned Omoda Jaecoo factory, the Brazilian election’s potential impact, or the group’s relationship with CAOA, which assembles Chery models in a separate operation.