Chery hits 20 million cars sold as exports surge past Europe

Chery's cumulative sales passed 20 million, with about 35% of its customers now outside China and European sales up over 212%.

China's Chery Group announced that its cumulative global sales have passed 20 million vehicles. The 20 millionth was the Fulwin A9, an all-electric sedan launched the same day, sharing its name with Chery's first 1997 model. Founded that year, Chery was the first Chinese brand to reach 1 million cumulative sales in 2007; it now spans brands including Chery, Exeed, Fulwin, iCar and Jetour across more than 130 countries.

The momentum is increasingly export-driven. Chery exported 943,817 vehicles in the first half of 2026, up 71.5% year-on-year, and its June total of 191,062 was described as a record monthly Chinese vehicle export for the fourth month running. European sales reached 174,000 in the first half, up more than 212%. Of its roughly 19.88 million customers as of end-June, about 6.78 million, or 35%, were overseas.

For clean mobility, the significance is reach. Affordable Chinese EVs moving in volume into more than 130 markets put battery-electric transport within budget for buyers who previously had few options, spreading the technology well beyond China. Chery also restarted a South African plant acquired from Nissan, keeping all 692 employees, a sign of local manufacturing footprint rather than pure export.

Worth watching: whether these export rates hold against tariffs and trade barriers, and whether the electric share of shipments keeps rising. The figures are compiled from company reports and CnEVPost, and Chery's domestic growth was described as relatively subdued.

Source: CnEVPost