Chery Opens New CKD Plant in Shah Alam – Jaecoo J7 CKD Rolls Off

Chery Auto Malaysia opens the new Chery Corporate Malaysia plant in Shah Alam today, with the Jaecoo J7 being the first model to roll off its line.

Chery Auto Malaysia has marked yet another significant milestone in its re-establishment in the Malaysian market, with the automaker opening its new dedicated production facility today.

Located in Shah Alam, Selangor, this new Chery Corporate Malaysia factory is also the first production facility in the ASEAN region to locally assemble (CKD) the upcoming Jaecoo J7 – a premium off-road SUV under Chery’s sub-brand, Jaecoo.

Witnessing the roll-off of the Jaecoo J7 AWD SUV today were the Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry (MITI), YB Senator Tengku Datuk Seri Utama Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and China’s Minister of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), Dr. Jin Zhuanglong. The two ministers were also accompanied by several top officials from both MITI and MIIT, while dignitaries from Chery Automobile were led by its chairman, Mr. Yin Tongyue.

Chery Automobile Co. Ltd Chairman Mr. Yin Tongyue

“Malaysia is a very important market for Chery. Our vision for the Malaysian market is to grow with our local partners and customers for the long term,” the Chery Automobile Chairman said.

All the local and international dignitaries were also given a tour around Chery Corporate Malaysia’s new factory in Shah Alam, where it showcases cutting-edge technology and stringent quality control processes applied to all vehicles assembled here. The first two models that’ll be calling this production facility home are the Jaecoo J7 AWD and its lower-spec sibling, the Jaecoo J7 2WD.

Strategically located in the hotbed of Malaysian manufacturing in Shah Alam, the Chery Corporate Malaysia factory is in close proximity to several key local manufacturers that will be critical to the plant’s supply chain. This facility is also located close to Port Klang, which is not only the busiest port in Malaysia but also the second largest in the ASEAN region, which primes the automaker’s readiness to export to the ASEAN region in the future.

More importantly, this new production facility has also resulted in the creation of up to 500 new jobs, with the potential to further grow in line with market demands. Since its official re-establishment in 2023, Chery as a whole has been responsible for the creation of over 1,000 jobs in Malaysia through its local operations. The brand also has a network of 100 sales and service centres across the nation.

“In addition to strengthening the value chain of Chery and Jaecoo's offerings to customers, today’s launch is a positive leap for Malaysia’s automotive industry and economy. Paired with our strong service network built with our local dealer partners, Chery is excited to deliver best-in-class vehicles equipped with innovative technology and the absolute best customer experience to the Malaysian market,” Mr. Yin added.

With the locally assembled Jaecoo J7 already rolling off its production line, this off-road luxury SUV is slated to make its official local debut later in July this year, with a tentative price tag of around RM150,000. This debut will also make Malaysia the first ASEAN market to officially get the Jaecoo J7, while also becoming one of the earliest right-hand drive (RHD) markets to get this SUV model.