Chery Auto Smashes Records in 2025: Revenue Tops RM171 Billion, Net Profit Surges 34.6% on EV Momentum and Global Expansion
Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. has delivered a landmark performance for fiscal year 2025, announcing record-breaking financial results that highlight the Chinese automaker’s successful pivot toward electrification, intelligent mobility, and aggressive global expansion.
With revenue surpassing the symbolic 300 billion yuan threshold for the first time, Chery’s achievements signal a new era of competitiveness in the rapidly evolving automotive landscape.
Financial Highlights: Profitability Outpaces Revenue Growth
Chery Automobile reported total revenue of 300.29 billion yuan (approximately RM171.07 billion) for 2025, representing an 11.3% year-on-year increase . More impressively, net profit attributable to shareholders surged 34.6% to 19.02 billion yuan (RM10.84 billion), demonstrating enhanced operational efficiency and margin expansion.
Key financial metrics include:
| Metric | 2025 (CNY) | 2025 (MYR)* | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Revenue | 300.29 billion | RM171.07 billion | +11.3% |
| Gross Profit | 41.44 billion | RM23.61 billion | +14.1% |
| Net Profit | 19.02 billion | RM10.84 billion | +34.6% |
| Gross Margin | 13.8% | 13.8% | +0.3 pp |
| NEV Revenue | 98.02 billion | RM55.85 billion | +66.3% |
| Overseas Revenue | 157.42 billion | RM89.69 billion | +56.0% |
*Exchange rate: 1 CNY = 0.5697 MYR (as of March 18, 2026)
The company’s overall gross margin improved to 13.8%, up from 13.5% in 2024, while the new energy vehicle (NEV) segment achieved a gross margin of 8.8% – a notable improvement as economies of scale and in-house technology maturation take effect.
Sales Performance: NEVs Drive Volume Growth
Chery’s total vehicle sales reached 2.63 million units in 2025, an 8% increase year-on-year, with self-owned passenger vehicle brands accounting for 2.6314 million units (+14.6%).
The electrification push delivered remarkable results:
- NEV sales surged 72.5% to approximately 826,500 units, now representing nearly one-third of total passenger vehicle revenue.
- Luxeed, Chery’s premium smart EV brand co-developed with Huawei, sold 90,493 units (+56% YoY) .
- iCAR / iCAUR, the tech-focused youth brand, delivered 96,989 units (+47% YoY).
- The flagship Chery brand moved 1.7 million vehicles (+6%), while JETOUR recorded 622,590 sales (+10%).
- Only EXEED, the premium ICE-focused marque, saw a decline of 15% to 120,369 units, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward electrified options (the Omoda | Jaecoo brands sold in Malaysia are branded either Chery or Exeed in China).
“More than 90% of Chery’s newly launched models in 2025 featured electrified powertrains, with pricing positioned squarely in the 100,000 yuan to 400,000 yuan mass-market range.”
Global Expansion: Overseas Revenue Overtakes Domestic for First Time
In a historic milestone, Chery’s international business generated more revenue than its domestic operations for the first time. Overseas revenue jumped 56% to 157.42 billion yuan (RM89.69 billion), accounting for 52.4% of total income.
Export performance remained stellar:
- 1.2944 million vehicles exported in 2025 (+33.2% YoY), extending Chery’s 23-year streak as China’s top passenger vehicle exporter by volume.
- Exports of electrified models increased more than fivefold year-on-year, highlighting growing global appetite for Chery’s NEV offerings.
- Europe emerged as a key growth region, with sales more than tripling and expansion into 16 countries including the UK, Italy, and Spain.
- Right-hand-drive markets posted triple-digit growth, strengthening Chery’s foothold in ASEAN, Australia, and other strategic territories.
Chery now operates 12 major production bases worldwide, including two overseas facilities, enabling rapid regional delivery and enhanced supply chain resilience.
R&D Investment and Technology Roadmap
Chery doubled down on innovation with R&D expenditure reaching 14.715 billion yuan (RM8.38 billion), up 39.6% year-on-year. The company has built a portfolio of more than 400 core technologies across five major platforms:
- Mars architecture – modular vehicle platform
- Kunpeng powertrain systems – spanning ICE, PHEV, REEV, and BEV
- Lingxi smart cockpit – AI-powered user interface
- Falcon intelligent driving suite – advanced driver assistance
- Galaxy ecosystem – integrated software and connectivity services
This technology foundation is expected to underpin Chery’s next phase of global expansion, as competition increasingly hinges on integrated capabilities spanning software, hardware, and mobility ecosystems.
Forward Outlook
Looking ahead to 2026, Chery outlined four strategic priorities:
- Broaden product lineup and deepen brand elevation across its five-brand architecture
- Accelerate R&D investment in next-generation electrification and intelligent technologies
- Enhance the electrification and intelligence of passenger vehicles to embrace global mobility transformation
- Consolidate overseas market leadership through localized operations and supply chain optimization
“The group’s multi-brand architecture enables it to attract a wide customer base spanning mass-market, premium series, family vehicles, and smart electric vehicles.”
CarTok Editor’s Note
From a Malaysian market perspective, Chery’s global momentum aligns closely with its accelerating local trajectory. Having surpassed 30,000 cumulative sales since its July 2023 return, Chery Malaysia recorded 12,530 units sold in 2025 alone and now ranks third among non-national automakers. Notably, consumer preference has shifted from the entry-level Omoda 5 (84% of sales in 2023) toward the more premium Tiggo series (66% of sales in 2025), signalling growing appetite for higher-spec SUVs.
With Chery Super Hybrid (CSH) models already representing 21% of local sales and a target of 30% hybrid contribution in 2026, the brand’s global electrification strategy is clearly resonating domestically. The confirmed rollout of four new models this year — including the flagship Tiggo 9, a performance variant, a youth-focused lifestyle SUV, and next-generation CSH technology — positions Chery to challenge established players across multiple segments.
The upcoming completion of the Chery Smart Auto Industrial Park in Lembah Beringin, Selangor (100,000-unit annual capacity) further underscores long-term commitment to local assembly, which could translate to more competitive pricing and faster model updates for Malaysian buyers. Its production facility in Malaysia also caters to regional export markets. As Chery transitions from “value challenger” to “technology-led premium contender”, how clearly it differentiates its five-brand architecture locally — while maintaining aftersales excellence across its 59 sales outlets and 54 service centres — will be critical to sustaining this growth curve.
