Chery is close to becoming a European brand

Nissan and Chery are on the verge of a significant collaboration in the European market. The two automotive companies have announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the possibility of manufacturing Chery vehicles at Nissan's existing plant in Sunderland, United Kingdom.

It is important to note that this is not a final agreement. Nissan's statement clarifies that both companies will explore the viability of a joint manufacturing project. Consequently, there is currently no confirmation regarding specific models, production volumes, or related investments.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Sunderland plant would remain under Nissan's ownership, and its current workforce would continue to be employed by the Japanese automaker. The MoU contemplates the potential for Nissan to begin producing Chery passenger vehicles on the plant's Line One starting in fiscal year 2027. However, ongoing discussions are necessary for both parties to decide whether the project will advance to a formal phase.

This development follows Nissan's May announcement regarding the consolidation of its manufacturing operations onto Line Two at Sunderland, a move aimed at evaluating strategies to optimize plant utilization. For now, Nissan and Chery have only confirmed that negotiations are ongoing. The memorandum itself is non-binding, and no further public details will be released at this stage.