A project by Chinese company Chery Holding Group to assemble electric vehicles in Rwanda has taken another major step forward after the Cabinet approved an investment agreement between the Government of Rwanda and Chery Holding Rwanda Ltd.
The decision was made during a Cabinet meeting held on September 18, 2026, at Village Urugwiro and chaired by President Paul Kagame. Among the resolutions adopted, the Cabinet approved an investment agreement aimed at establishing a plant for assembling electric vehicles in Rwanda.
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Chery Electric Vehicle Assembly Plant
The approval marks a new milestone after months of discussions over the project. In April 2026, President Kagame received Xu Hui, Vice President of Chery Holding Group and Chief Executive Officer of Rich Resource International Investment. Their discussions focused on investment opportunities, including vehicle assembly in Rwanda.
Although the Cabinet has approved the agreement, details regarding the value of the investment, the location of the plant, its vehicle assembly capacity, when construction will begin, and when operations are expected to start have not yet been disclosed.
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Chery’s Global Automotive Operations
Chery was established in 1997, with its headquarters in Wuhu City, Anhui Province, China. The company began manufacturing vehicles in 1999 and has since expanded its operations and international presence.
Chery has developed several automotive brands as part of its global strategy, including Chery, Exeed, Jetour, iCar, Luxeed, Omoda, Jaecoo and Exlantix. Omoda and Jaecoo have been among the brands used to expand Chery’s presence in international markets.
Some of the company’s vehicles are produced for the Chinese domestic market, while others are exported to international markets. Chery reported total vehicle sales of more than 2.6 million units in 2024, including more than 1.14 million exported vehicles.
Since 2012, Chery has partnered with Jaguar Land Rover to manufacture Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles in China.
In 2024, Chery also expanded its operations into Spain through an agreement with Ebro, one of Europe’s established automotive companies. The partnership led to the production and export of vehicles under the Ebro brand.
Rwanda’s Electric Vehicle Push
The approval of the investment agreement comes as Rwanda continues to promote electric mobility and the use of electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles, their batteries and charging equipment remain exempt from Value Added Tax (VAT) in Rwanda until June 30, 2028, according to the Rwanda Revenue Authority.
The planned Chery electric vehicle assembly plant would therefore add another development to Rwanda’s growing efforts to support electric mobility and attract investment in vehicle manufacturing and related technologies.
