Chery Automobile plans to introduce the Jaecoo ET electric premium crossover in Canada next year.

Speaking to reporters at a briefing at the company's headquarters in Wuhu, China, as reported by Bloomberg, Lindsay Collins, brand manager at Chery Canada, said: “We wanted to bring something premium so that we can really show what our company and our brands can do. We really do have a wide range of products to bring to Canada.”

The mid-sized model is a rebadged version of a car already on sale in China (Exeed Sterra ET) and some other overseas markets and will be among Chery's first electric vehicles sold in Canada.

Its winter specification includes door handles that resist ice, a heated steering wheel and a battery engineered for severe cold.

The crossover is expected to cover roughly 525km per full charge, with a battery from CATL.

Chery said it will also carry advanced driver-assistance technology and intelligent air suspension. Pricing has not been disclosed.

The launch follows an agreement between Canada and China that allows low-tariff imports of up to 49,000 Chinese new-energy vehicles this year, with the quota set to rise annually.

BYD and Geely Automobile are also expected to pursue the opportunity.

Chery has set up its Canadian headquarters in the Greater Toronto Area and plans to begin distribution in major cities across British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec.

It intends to start with about 12 dealers, although roughly 40 have approached the company, according to Farzad Salehi, executive vice-president for the Jaecoo and Omoda brands in Canada.

Chery also plans further Canadian launches, including an unspecified low-cost entry-level model.

In September, Chery's UK operation unveiled plans to launch four new and updated models for the brand over the following 12 months.