Chery Group has signed a strategic five-year partnership with the organiser of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, marking the first time a Chinese automotive group has entered a full-scale collaboration with one of world motorsport’s most prestigious events.

The agreement, signed on 13 December in Kuala Lumpur between Chery’s premium brand EXEED and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO), launches Chery’s “Road to Le Mans” motorsport program and signals its entry into top-tier global endurance racing.

Widely regarded as one of the three pinnacles of world motorsport alongside Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans is considered the ultimate test of automotive performance, durability and efficiency. Chery says the partnership will put its 28 years of engineering capability to the test on the global stage.

Under the five-year plan, EXEED will progress through three stages:

  • Establishing a domestic endurance racing series to build technical capability and talent
  • Competing in the Asian Le Mans Series
  • Forming an EXEED factory team to contest the 24 Hours of Le Mans, aiming to become the first Chinese manufacturer team to do so

As part of the agreement, Chery and ACO will also work together to develop a Le Mans-certified circuit in Wuhu, Chery’s headquarters city, to support motorsport development and fan engagement in China.

Chery said the partnership is focused on technology development rather than branding alone, with data and learnings from endurance racing feeding directly into future production vehicles, including improvements in powertrain efficiency, durability and reliability.

The Le Mans program represents Chery’s broader ambition to transition from vehicle exporter to a global automotive technology player, using motorsport as a proving ground for next-generation innovation.