Chery's BEV Production Plant in Spain Delayed Again

Spanish industry pundits are holding their breath that Chinese automaker Chery is not getting cold feet over opening a car production plant in Barcelona after announcing a delay to its opening until the end of 2025.

The automaker was one of several who were instructed by Chinese government officials to scrap investment plans in European Union nations that voted for the introduction of punitive tariffs against unfairly subsidized battery-electric vehicles imported from China.

While Spain abstained and its Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called for compromise on the issue, that may not be enough to satisfy the Chinese that the country is on its side in the issue, as are the five who voted against tariffs headed by Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.

Chery’s Spanish partner, Ebro, announced the delay for the project which is already a year behind schedule, Reuters reports.

However, during interviews at the plant, to be Chery's first European production facility, Ebro CEO Pedro Calef asserts: “The project has not been canceled. There has just been a readjustment. We have reasons to believe we will have a solid relationship (with Chery) for years.”

Last spring, the Chery-Ebro joint venture claimed it would produce up to 150,000 vehicles a year by 2029, starting with the Omoda 5 SUV, and will make the Barcelona plant one of Chery's main export facilities.