HAAH Automotive Holdings has been trying to bring Chinese vehicles to the United States for years, but nothing has become of their various announcements.
That could be changing as the company has signed a letter of intent with Shanghai Sicar Automotive Technology Development Co, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chery Automobile.
HAAH says the letter expands their original engineering service agreement into a joint venture, which will bring Vantas and T-GO branded vehicles to the United States. The first models will be the Vantas VX and TXL, and they’re slated to arrive by the end of 2022. They’ll be “contract assembled” in China, but have US-made content that will “grow significantly over time.”
Also Read: Chery Is Coming To America In The Form Of The Vantas Crossover
Vantas VX
Following the launch of the Vantas VX and TXL, T-GO will arrive with two models including a pickup. They will be followed by “additional SUV and passenger car models.”
While the first models will use internal combustion engines, HAAH said they are only a “bridge to a future where electric vehicles will become the product mainstays.” The company went on to say they’re already working on an electric vehicle and “EVs will become the core of our future offerings for Vantas and T-GO.”
HAAH originally had plans to build the vehicles in the United States, but the company said the pandemic made this impossible. However, they still plan on establishing a manufacturing plant in America in the future.
As we have previously reported, the Vantas VX and TXL are lightly modified Chery crossovers that are slated to have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces more than 240 hp (179 kW / 243 PS). It will be connected to a seven-speed automatic transmission, which can be paired to an optional all-wheel drive system.