OMODA | JAECOO: 3 years to first million units

Quick look

• OMODA & JAECOO sold one million vehicles globally, hitting the milestone in 3 years after entering 64 markets.

• From one million vehicles in 3 years, the automaker (part of the Chery Group) aims for one million units annually from 2027.

The time taken for an automaker to reach its first million vehicles has changed significantly over more than 100 years. That should not be surprising with mass production and manufacturing processes becoming more advanced over the decades.

Companies like Ford and Toyota started off in a very different environment which was also less global, although both were exported vehicles in ever increasing numbers from their primary production bases.

Ford, which introduced mass production, took 12 years to send its first million cars out of the factory. In the early 1900s, that was a major achievement. Toyota, which was established in 1937, only passed the million mark after 35 years. Of course, these two automakers also went through periods of world war and economic depressions, slowing them down in some decades.

‘China speed’
In the 21st century, China has emerged as the powerhouse of vehicle production and there is a term ‘China speed’ used in the industry. This refers to the way Chinese automakers, in particular, have leveraged advanced production technologies and processes to make huge volumes at speeds that would have amazed Henry Ford who was obsessed with high-speed production.

Xiaomi, a newcomer to car-making, rolled out its 500,000th unit in about 1.5 years of actual production, putting it on track to be the fastest in history to 1 million. Going from 500,000 to 1 million is even shorter. Take Tesla, for example: it took the EV pioneer 12 years to complete its first million – but just 18 months to cross the second million. BYD, a global leader, took 15 years to reach 5 million vehicles but got to 10 million within 15 months after that milestone.

Fastest to one million
OMODA & JAECOO, part of the Chery Group, appeared on the scene in 2023. Three years later, it has surpassed the one million vehicle sales milestone globally. This makes it the fastest automotive brand to reach this figure.

This achievement has been supported by positive reception for its products in many markets, including Malaysia which has been a regional star for the brand. Since entering Malaysia in 2024, the brand has seen a significant surge in demand, recording a 153% year-on-year sales increase in 2025 with nearly 18,000 units delivered.

Rising star in Malaysia
The locally-assembled J7 accounts for the majority of the numbers and is very visible on the roads. It has helped the brand secure a position among the top 5 non-national automakers in the country, certainly an achievement for a brand that no one had heard of before 2024.

Looking ahead, OMODA & JAECOO is transitioning from a rapid market entry phase to one of technological consolidation and portfolio expansion.

In Malaysia, the roadmap for the remainder of 2026 includes the introduction of more new models to broaden appeal across different price segments. This local expansion is mirrored globally by the debut of the OMODA 4 and the introduction of advanced driver-assistance features like Valet Parking Driver technology.

By 2027, the brand aims to leap from a cumulative million units to selling one million vehicles every year. To support this growth in Malaysia, the retail network will be expanded to 65 locations nationwide, ensuring that sales and aftersales infrastructure keep pace with the growing community of owners.

OMODA | JAECOO – 0 to 20,000 vehicles within 14 months