The history of Jaecoo
We’ve lost count of the number of Chinese electric car manufacturers coming over to the UK.
They’re heading to the UK in their droves and one in particular to grab attention is Jaecoo.
Jaecoo has only been selling cars in the UK since 2024, but the firm is starting to expand even further.
But, you might ask yourself, what is Jaecoo? What’s the company’s history? And, what cars does it sell?
Well, we’ve compiled a list of its background and history, plus what’s to come from this relatively new car brand.
What is Jaecoo?
Jaecoo is a Chinese car manufacturer that sells petrol and electrified SUVs.
Just like with many Chinese firms, its goal is to produce cars by undercutting the competition on price.
You might ask, what does Jaecoo mean? The name Jaecoo is a combined word, with the first half standing for the German phrase ‘Jaeger’ – which means hunter – and the second half being the English word ‘Cool’.
That might sound like an odd combination, but Jaecoo means ‘hunter cool’, giving the brand an identity that it produces stylish and cool vehicles that are also capable of being rough and tough SUVs.
Is it owned by anyone?
Jaecoo was founded in 2023, and although that feels very recent, it’s actually owned by one of China’s largest vehicle manufacturers – Chery.
However, you won’t find any Jaecoo badged cars anywhere in China. In fact, Jaecoo is an export brand for Chery, to help with the company’s export expansion programme.
It’s the same scenario with the new Chinese firm, Omoda. Omoda and Jaecoo are actually in conjunction with each other, however, Omoda focuses on sleeker and sportier SUVs, while Jaecoo is a producer of bigger and more premium models.
What cars does it sell?
There is only one Jaecoo currently on sale here in the UK and that is the 7 SUV.
The 7 rivals the likes of the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai and is available with a choice of petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
The former is a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit that produces a total of 145bhp and 275Nm of torque. The car can accelerate from 0-60mph in 10.1 seconds and will reach a top speed of 112mph.
The latter’s plug-in hybrid setup comes with a smaller 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor and 18.3kWh battery pack that produces a combined 201bhp and 525Nm of torque. Meanwhile, Jaecoo claims that this variation can travel up to 56 miles on electric power.
When it comes to pricing, the 7 undercuts almost all of the competition, with the standard petrol car starting at £30,115 for the entry-level Deluxe and includes lots of equipment, including heated front seats, a 12.3-inch infotainment screen and a six-speaker audio system. The flagship Luxury comes in at £33,945 and features all-wheel drive, a head-up display, a larger 14.8-inch screen and heated outer rear seats.
The PHEV variant comes with the same amount of standard equipment and is priced from £35,165.
What does the future hold for Jaecoo?
The company plans to introduce new models to its line-up of vehicles, kicking off this year with the new 5 SUV.
The 5 will sit below the larger 7 in the range and will feature a choice of petrol and electric powertrains.
The petrol model comes fitted with a 1.6-litre turbocharged unit, however, the electric version’s powertrain hasn’t been revealed at this stage and will be the firm’s first EV offering.
The 5 will rival cars such as the Ford Puma Gen-E, Suzuki e-Vitara and Jeep Avenger when it goes on sale later this year.
The good news is that you’ll find Jaecoo’s current core model – the 7 – available to buy here at UK CarLine, though if you’d rather an alternative, then check through our current stock to see our broad range of available vehicles.
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