Chery Auto's robotic factory drives China's car industry, sets sales record

Robotic arms in action at the Chery Intelligent Manufacturing Factory in Wuhu, Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

Mechanical arms work in tandem at the Chery Intelligent Manufacturing Factory in Wuhu, Anhui Province, assembling car bodies with precision. With more than 660 robotic arms, the factory boasts an automation rate of 97 percent, allowing it to produce a car every minute.

Photo shows a complex assembly line at the Chery Intelligent Manufacturing Factory, Wuhu, Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

The automobile industry is a pillar industry of Anhui Province's economy, and Chery Automobile is its flagship enterprise. In 2023, Chery sold nearly 1.9 million vehicles, a 50 percent increase from the previous year. The company also exported more than 900,000 vehicles, maintaining its position as the top exporter of Chinese brand passenger cars for 21 consecutive years

Precision robotic technology at work in Chery's Wuhu factory, Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

Chery's rapid growth has fostered a robust environment for the automobile industry in Wuhu, attracting local auto parts enterprises like a magnet. Currently, Wuhu is home to more than 1,500 upstream and downstream companies in the automotive sector, including several foreign-funded enterprises.

Photo shows the final assembly line at the Chery Intelligent Manufacturing Factory, Wuhu, Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)

From January to June this year, Chery sold 1.1 million vehicles, setting a new semiannual record for the company. The automaker achieved growth in both new energy vehicles (NEVs) and traditional vehicles, as well as in domestic and overseas markets.

Finished SUVs undergoing final inspection by robotic systems at the Chery Intelligent Manufacturing Factory in Wuhu, Anhui Province. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Jun)