China’s Chery Aims to Impress With First Model for Canadian Market

China’s Chery Automobiles hopes to have its first vehicles on sale in Canada early in the new year starting with the 2027 Jaecoo ET, an all-electric crossover with an upmarket vibe.

It’s also uniquely Canadian, as the same crossover is sold in Europe under the Exceed Exlantix brand — yet another of Chery’s many subsidiaries. The Jaecoo ET will be among the first three models destined for the Canadian market, with more to follow in the future, according to Chery.

According to David Lu, Chery’s head of North American product development, the company worked with consultants and conducted studies on which model to launch first — whether the premium-leaning ET or the Kia EV5-like Jaecoo 5 — but decided to aim a little higher at launch.

“We decided we would go high-tech, a little bit premium,” Wu said, noting a subsequent model will launch just five months after the ET. That will likely be the Jaecoo 5, although no official announcement was made as of this writing. The smaller Omoda 4 will almost certainly follow.

“From our perspective, we wanted to bring something premium (first) so that we could really show what our company and our brands can do,” said Lindsay Collins, brand manager with Omoda & Jaecoo Canada, the company’s subsidiary here. “We really do have a wide range of products … but starting off with our best foot forward (is) our strategy.”

Far from the low-cost electric vehicle (EV) many consumers were hoping for, the Jaecoo ET leans more towards the premium end of the market, with fit, finish, and features that wouldn’t feel out of place in an Audi or Cadillac. That’s based on hands-on time with the ET, including a short drive of an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) version.

That model has a combined gas-electric powertrain like a plug-in hybrid (PHEV), except the engine has no direct connection to the wheels and functions as a generator. (The Chevrolet Volt that was discontinued prior to the pandemic works in a similar way.) While the EREV version won’t be coming to Canada at launch, it could one day make its way here.

According to Chery executives, the decision to focus first on an entirely electric powertrain was a simple matter of expedience, since EVs are subject to fewer government regulations than those with gas engines, which must also undergo emissions control testing. The federal approvals process for the ET was in its final stages as of this writing.

More details about the 2027 Jaecoo ET will be announced closer to its on-sale date; however, in the meantime, we know it will be powered by a pair of electric motors that bookend a 100-kWh lithium nickel manganese cobalt (Li-NMC) battery pack. Together they generate 473 hp and 483 lb-ft of torque — similar figures to the ones made by the slightly smaller BMW iX3.

Range estimates for the Canadian version weren’t available as of this writing, although other markets that use more generous testing procedures suggest the ET can travel 525 km on a full charge. For the sake of comparison, the iX3 uses a bigger 112.2-kWh battery, and it’s rated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for as much as 698 km of range.

Like the iX3, as well as the equally new Volvo EX60, the ET uses an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows it to reach peak DC fast-charging speeds of 290 kW in ideal conditions. That’s slower than both of those properly premium rivals, which can hit a maximum of 400 kW, although in other markets the ET can reach speeds as fast as 420 kW.

According to Chery’s Canadian team, the ET will come with a Combined Charging System (CCS) port instead of the North American Charging Standard (NACS) type that would give it access to plug-and-charge capability through the Tesla network. It will, however, offer selectable or automatic battery preconditioning, as well as the ability to schedule charging sessions.

Company representatives acknowledged the challenges that come with Canada’s climate and said they’re actively working to optimize battery and charging performance prior to launch. In total, the ET gets some 60 changes for the Canadian market, including the addition of semi-concealed exterior door handles instead of the deployable ones offered elsewhere.

Overall, it has almost wagon-like proportions similar to those of the Audi Q6 E-Tron, although it’s slightly larger by most exterior measures. That includes an overall length of 4,980 mm (196.1 in), while the wheelbase it rides on stretches 3,000 mm (118.1 in). The result is a cabin that’s spacious front and rear, with the flat floor throughout helping to optimize the space.

It also looks and feels more like a premium vehicle than a mainstream one, which also means the price tag is likely to skew towards the latter. Official figures weren’t available as of this writing, but the 2027 Jaecoo ET is likely to cost at least $60,000 when it arrives next year.

However, that’s significantly less than the Q6 E-Tron that starts at $81,000 before freight and tax, while even a fully loaded example of the Subaru Trailseeker rings in at $57,995. And again, what sets this all-new model apart is what it offers in terms of features as well as its upmarket feel. From the microsuede headliner to the perforated leather upholstery, the ET is the real deal.

Other premium equipment promised by the ET includes tri-zone automatic climate control, a 23-speaker stereo that includes speakers in the front headrests, and heated, ventilated, and massaging seats front and back. Meanwhile, the 15.6-inch touchscreen will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, plus a companion smartphone app will be available at launch.

Other important details like warranty coverage were still being decided at the time of this writing, although the company’s Canadian aftersales director, Mark Vidic, said it will be competitive against the backdrop of the burgeoning EV market in the country, which is on an upward trajectory just in time for Chery’s arrival in early 2027.

“It’s going to be greater than five years,” Vidic said of the warranty plan, “but we’re still finalizing the terms of what the full duration will be.”