Chery Deepens its Commitment to the U.K. with a new R&D Centre
Chery Automobile is expanding its international R&D footprint with a new R&D Centre of Excellence in the U.K. at the UTAC Millbrook proving ground in Bedfordshire. The new facility is due to open in late autumn 2026.
Chery Automobile arrived in the U.K. in 2024 bringing with it its brands OMODA & JAECOO, Chery and this year adding its premium brand, LEPAS. Rugged SUV’s from Chery’s iCAR and FREELANDER (a joint venture with Land Rover) are due to follow soon.
The new facility shows Chery’s commitment to local markets with its “In somewhere, For somewhere, Be somewhere” philosophy, which is intended to establish local operations to develop cars around the specific requirements of individual markets.
This is good news for U.K motorists and our somewhat inconsistent road surfaces, whilst accommodating our unique taste in driving dynamics and comfort. Millbrook is the perfect facility to test just that.
Chery says their initial focus is on chassis dynamics and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that requires tuning and calibration specifically for the UK market.
Customer feedback has already provided some insights into Chery’s commitments to fine tuning the vehicle for our unique roads, with the aim to enhance the vehicles across the range.
Gary Lan, CEO of Chery International UK and Vice President, Right-Hand-Drive Division, Chery International, said: “The establishment of our UK R&D Centre of Excellence is the next step in our long-term plan for the UK. We waited over 20 years for the right time to enter this market, and our ambition has always gone much further than simply bringing vehicles here.
“Our approach is ‘In somewhere, For somewhere, Be somewhere’: building a lasting presence, investing in local capability and developing products around the people who drive them. With OMODA&JAECOO established, Chery growing and LEPAS to follow, that local capability is increasingly important.
“UTAC Millbrook allows us to turn UK customer insight into product development, from ride and steering to active safety systems. It is another step in our long-term investment in the UK, and its work will become part of Chery Automobile’s wider global R&D activities.”
With over 40 miles of purpose-built test tracks, such as the Hill Route, Alpine Circuit and specialised durability and Noise, Vibration, and Harshness surfaces, alongside battery testing laboratories, powertrain testing facilities, semi-anechoic chambers - including ADAS and autonomous vehicle testing capabilities - Millbrook provides everything required for Chery to meet it’s commitment to developing cars honed for our market.
Kirsty Andrew, Vice President UTAC UK, said: “The decision by Chery Automobile to establish its UK R&D Centre of Excellence at UTAC Millbrook is a significant commitment to engineering and vehicle development in the UK.
“Creating a stand-alone engineering centre here means Chery Automobile can develop and validate vehicles against the particular demands of UK roads and UK drivers, with direct access to our engineering expertise and testing environments throughout that process.
“This is about much more than testing individual vehicles. We see this as the sustained momentum of a long-term engineering relationship with Chery Automobile, and we look forward to supporting the team as its capability and development activity at Millbrook grows.”
Chery’s JAECOO 7 has consistently made the Top 10 on the car sales charts since it launched a year ago, with the groups cars taking a 7% market share since being first introduced in 2024, proving that some of their vehicles offer exactly what U.K. buyers are looking for.
With the new UK R&D Centre of Excellence at UTAC Millbrook, Chery Automobile will continue to tailor its cars to U.K. tastes and U.K. roads ensuring they can deliver on their commitment to be a major force in the U.K. automotive sector.
About the Author
Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more. You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb
