Gasgoo Munich- As a price war drags on for nearly two years, Chery's premium brand EXEED is moving against the trend. On March 5, EXEED officially announced an adjustment to the official guide price of the EXEED ET5, becoming the first automaker to publicly announce a price hike in 2026.
Image source: EXEED
The adjustment targets the high-end trim. The official guide price for the EXEED ET5 210 LiDAR Intelligent Premium Edition rose by 5,000 yuan to 164,900 yuan, with a "super trade-in" price of 154,900 yuan. The ET5 launched on November 28 last year in two configurations—the 210 Comfort Edition and the 210 LiDAR Intelligent Premium Edition—originally priced at 144,900 yuan and 159,900 yuan, respectively.
Notably, the core of this adjustment lies in changes to smart driving benefits. Following the change, users must pay 5,000 yuan for a complete smart driving package originally valued at 28,800 yuan. This package includes the Horizon Robotics Journey® 6P chip, the Falcon 700 advanced smart driving system, and lifetime OTA update services.
Regarding the decision to move against the trend, EXEED stated that while supply chain factors—such as rising chip costs—played a role, the move is primarily a strategic choice rooted in "long-termism." The goal is to ensure stable and sustainable long-term R&D investment, product quality, and user services.
Industry data indicates that prices for automotive-grade memory chips have surged since the second half of 2025, with automotive-grade DRAM prices climbing 180% overall in the past three months. NIO's William Li and Xiaomi's Lei Jun are among the executives who have previously warned of the cost pressures from rising chip prices. While most rivals are competing for market share through price cuts or financial incentives, EXEED's move has drawn widespread industry attention.
