{"text":[[{"start":81.48,"text":"Chinese carmaker Chery will open a research and development facility for passenger vehicles in the UK as the owner of Omoda and Jaecoo brands expands its presence in the market."}],[{"start":81.98,"text":"The move comes as the Chinese group pushes into Europe and the UK. In February Chery announced the launch of its Lepas brand, designed specifically for European markets. The group also signed a deal with Nissan in June to manufacture its vehicles in the Japanese carmaker’s Sunderland facility."}],[{"start":81.48,"text":"The launch of an R&D centre for passenger cars would be an important step in localising its operations, which would be followed by manufacturing in the UK, said Gary Lan, chief executive of Chery International UK, at the FT Future of the Car Summit in May."}],[{"start":81.98,"text":"The facility was “the next step in our long-term plan for the UK”, said Lan in a statement on Wednesday. “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.”"}],[{"start":82.48,"text":"Chery said the facility would open in late autumn. Under a nonbinding memorandum of understanding, Nissan is looking to start producing the Chinese group’s vehicles at Sunderland from next year."}],[{"start":76.64,"text":"Chery, which also owns its eponymous marque, is one of the fastest-growing Chinese carmakers in the UK."}],[{"start":83.14,"text":"In July, Chery and its Omoda and Jaecoo brands took almost 8 per cent of the UK market share — up from about 3 per cent last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders."}],[{"start":94.88,"text":"Other Chinese automakers including BYD, Geely and Xiaomi are also expanding rapidly into the European car market."}],[{"start":102.58,"text":"The new R&D facility will be built within UTAC Millbrook, a vehicle testing and development centre in Bedfordshire. The area is a hub for engineering and motorsport and home to several automotive R&D facilities."}],[{"start":115.96,"text":"Research will focus on how to calibrate the company’s cars for the UK’s driving conditions and, eventually, autonomous driving and artificial intelligence."}],[{"start":124.68,"text":"The group said it had long-term ambitions to recruit local talent and create new, high-skilled jobs at the R&D hub."}],[{"start":131.2,"text":"Chery sold about 280,000 vehicles globally in July, and exports reached about 202,000, up 70 per cent year on year, making it the first Chinese automaker to export more than 200,000 in a month."}],[{"start":151.04,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1787129078_4231.mp3"}