Chinese automobile giant Chery wants to break into the American market. He thinks Detroit could help

• Chery said Reuters that he still sees a path to selling cars in the United States despite the ban on connected cars, possibly through a partnership with an American automaker.
• No specific details were given as to which automaker it would partner with, or what the partnership might look like.
• Chery plans to enter Canada next year.

Chinese cars are effectively banned in the United States. Any car using software or hardware made by a Chinese company is subject to the connected car ban and cannot be sold in the United States. Just ask Polestar. Still, the U.S. auto market is huge, second only to China. Some Chinese automakers still want to make their way into such a large market, especially when it is in dire need of cheap options. Chery, for her part, is not giving up.

According to the report of Reutersthe company is willing to try different things to enter the US market. Vice President Charlie Zhang said Reuters that Chery is confident that it can reach the US market and build a car that complies with data security laws.

“Certainly from a technical point of view, we will be able to find a solution without China in terms of hardware and software,” Zhang told Reuters.

One way to achieve this would be to enter into a partnership with American automakers. However, Zhang did not explain to Reuters what exactly this type of partnership would look like for Chery.

Still, this is markedly different from what other Chinese brands have said about the U.S. market. Some brands, such as BYD and Geely, have openly expressed their desire to establish themselves in the United States, even going so far as to welcome American journalists to pilot their product. Yet these companies have made it clear that now is not the right time to sell here; geopolitical tensions between the United States and China are not great. Automakers already operating in the United States are very opposed to Chinese cars coming here, and more laws are being proposed to prevent any of them from trying. But that doesn’t stop Chery.

Chery, however, is encouraged to sell outside China. Although Chery’s sales performance in China has been historically poor, it remains one of the best-selling Chinese brands in export markets. Chery and its sister brands like Jaecoo, Lepas, Jetour and iCar have shown surprising results. The Jaecoo 7 PHEV was the best-selling new car in the UK for two different months this year. The consensus is that Jaecoo products are reasonably priced, feature-rich vehicles, something that resonates with buyers on a budget. Given that the U.S. market is hungry for budget-friendly choices, Chery could do well if it found a way to sell here.

Although at present Chery’s plans for U.S. sales are vague, Zhang said Reuters that Chery plans to sell in Canada next year. They are getting closer to the US market, but a real entry seems to be still far away.