Chery Auto's 2 millionth vehicle rolls off line today

Shanghai, March 26 (Gasgoo.com) Chery Auto had its 2 millionth vehicle, a Rely SUV, roll off the production line this morning and became China's first independent automaker with output breaking the 2-million mark, Xinhua News reported.

Chery Auto, based in Wuhu city of eastern China's Anhui province, produced its first car on December 18, 1999. It took the company more than seven years to produce 1 million vehicles, but only two and a half years to double the output.

With the Chery Rely X5 SUV rolling off the line today, the company has joined the "two million-unit club" of automakers in China, following joint ventures Shanghai Volkswagen, FAW Volkswagen, Shanghai GM and Guangzhou Honda.

Chery Auto sold 500,000 motor vehicles in 2009, and expects its sales to reach 900,000 vehicles this year. Its vehicle products have been exported to more than 80 countries and regions.

The year the company will launch 17 new models under its three brands, including the M14 sports car and Fulwin hatchback of the Chery brand, the G3 and G6 of Riich, the X5 and H5 of Rely.

Chery Auto's annual production capacity, currently at 650,000 units, will rise to more than 1 million vehicles by early 2012 after two new plants now under construction go into operation.