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Cherub Automobile is a Chinese new energy automobile brand affiliated with Cherub New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd. The company was registered on September 1, 2020, with its headquarters located in Qihe County, Dezhou City, Shandong Province. It has a registered capital of 150 million RMB and is a state-owned enterprise controlled by the Qihe County People's Government State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. The brand’s slogan is "Creating fashion, safety, and practical driving experiences for users," and it focuses on the R&D and manufacturing of A00-level micro pure electric vehicles.
Cherub Automobile is the result of a cooperative model described as "Government builds the stage, enterprises perform the play," involving the Shandong provincial local government and Chery Group. The two parties are positioned as strategic partners rather than engaging in a simple OEM relationship. The total project investment amounts to 5 billion RMB, with the Phase 1 investment being 1 billion RMB. The company holds qualifications for road motor vehicle production and possesses import/export rights. The Cherub Automobile logo consists of four arcs; two arc gaps correspond to each other, resembling a circle missing its left and right segments, with arcs on the left and right sides. The lower arc is slightly shorter, adding a rich sense of design.
The birth of Cherub Automobile originated from the upgrade needs of Shandong Province's new energy automobile industry layout. Aiming to strengthen the local new energy automobile industry and expand its industrial cluster, the Shandong Provincial Government further deepened its cooperation with Chery Group, building on years of collaboration regarding new energy automobile production bases. Consequently, Cherub New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., wholly owned by the local government, was registered in September 2020.
The company assembled a large team of experienced talents and senior R&D personnel from the new energy automobile industry. The operation team, primarily drawn from Chery Group and other major OEMs, is responsible for the full-process operation of product design, development, procurement, and sales. In the early stages, Chery New Energy provided comprehensive empowerment in product development and other areas across the full value chain. Production was handled by the Qihe Branch of Chery New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., while new production lines, R&D testing centers, and sales experience centers were simultaneously constructed, along with the establishment of a parts supply chain system.
On August 6, 2021, Cherub Automobile's first model, the eC1, officially rolled off the production line. Taking only about a year from establishment to the launch of its first vehicle, this demonstrated a notable "Cherub Speed." Pre-sales began in August of the same year, with the official launch following in September. The model offered two range versions: 125 km and 200 km. Upon its release, Cherub Automobile aimed to enter the booming A00-level pure electric vehicle market through a cost-performance strategy, benchmarking against popular models such as the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV.
Cherub Automobile's product line is extremely streamlined, having launched only one mass-produced model, the Cherub eC1, during the brand's existence.
Cherub eC1: As the brand's sole mass-produced model, it is positioned as an A00-level micro two-door, four-seat pure electric vehicle, officially launched in September 2021. The vehicle dimensions are 3226 mm in length, 1676 mm in width, and 1556 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2150 mm. The exterior features a closed grille design. The most striking aspect of the front face is the L-shaped headlight group, connected to the fascia through black decorative elements. The side profile utilizes a two-tone color scheme and a floating roof design, while the rearview mirrors, side skirts, and wheel arches feature a smoked black treatment. The taillight styling echoes the front headlights. Inside, the car is equipped with a 7-inch LCD instrument panel and a 9-inch floating central control touch screen, supporting mobile app remote interconnection. The interior adopts a two-tone color scheme, hidden air vents, ergonomic seats, and roller-style physical buttons, offering youthful color options such as Phantom Purple, Swan White, Koi Red, and Elf Blue.
The Cherub eC1 was launched in three versions: the 125 km Happy Edition, the 125 km Sweet Edition, and the 200 km Happiness Edition. The powertrain consists of a permanent magnet synchronous motor with a maximum power of 25 kW, paired with a lithium iron phosphate battery pack. The battery cells are produced by Jiangsu Era New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., and the assembly is manufactured by Shandong Ruixin Energy Technology Co., Ltd.
Cherub Automobile had initially planned a product layout comprising three major vehicle platforms and product lines. The first series was positioned as small new energy highway electric vehicles; however, subsequent new models did not materialize.
Cherub's market presence was extremely short-lived. From its launch in September 2021 to the point when mainstream automotive websites marked it as "Stop Sale," its effective market cycle lasted less than two years. In the fiercely competitive A00-level micro electric vehicle market, dominated by the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, the Cherub eC1 offered certain differentiated features, such as a unique exterior design and a 200 km range. However, it failed to generate significant sales momentum.
Actual terminal delivery records for the Cherub eC1 are not available through public channels. Mainstream automotive platforms, such as Autohome, have listed the Cherub eC1 with a "Stop Sale" status. Terminal sales remained at an extremely low level for an extended period, standing in stark contrast to the monthly sales of tens of thousands achieved by top competitors. In terms of pricing, the 125 km version had a starting price of approximately 32,800 RMB, with the 200 km version priced higher. Compared to the Wuling Hongguang MINI EV, Cherub's price advantage was not significant. Additionally, insufficient brand awareness further restricted its market penetration.
As of 2026, the operating status of the parent company, Cherub New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., remains "Open." However, its models have effectively ceased sales, and the brand's presence in the market has largely disappeared.
Cherub Automobile's core technology was primarily achieved through technological empowerment from the Chery Group.
Chery LFS Aluminum Alloy Architecture: The Cherub eC1 adopted a full aluminum body architecture based on Chery's LFS aluminum alloy platform. Designed to meet C-NCAP five-star safety crash standards, this architecture offered the dual advantages of lightweight construction and high safety.
Power Battery: The Cherub eC1 was equipped with high-quality lithium iron phosphate battery cells supplied by Jiangsu Era, an enterprise within the CATL series. Combined with a self-developed intelligent battery management system, it provided two range options: 125 km and 200 km, ensuring reliable basic safety performance.
Lightweight Body: The full aluminum body structure effectively reduced the vehicle's curb weight and driving energy consumption, representing the application of Chery's long-accumulated lightweight technology achievements in the small new energy vehicle sector.
Public information regarding Cherub Automobile's overseas business is extremely limited. The parent company, Cherub New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd., holds qualifications for "Import and Export Agency," "Goods Import and Export," and "Technology Import and Export," theoretically possessing the licensing conditions to conduct international trade. However, at the brand level, there are no public reports of bulk vehicle exports or overseas market expansion. In contrast to Chery Group's large-scale overseas presence in more than 130 countries and regions, Cherub Automobile, as a new brand focused on the domestic market, concentrated its early development strategy on local market expansion, leaving its overseas layout virtually blank.
As of 2026, the future direction of Cherub Automobile remains highly uncertain. The parent company’s equity structure has undergone a significant change: on June 6, 2024, Qihe County Urban Operation Construction Investment Co., Ltd. transferred its 66.67% equity stake free of charge to the Qihe County People's Government State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Consequently, the brand is now wholly owned by local state-owned assets. The company’s registered capital stands at 150 million RMB, with its business term extending until August 31, 2040. Since the launch of the eC1, the brand’s early plans for three major vehicle platforms and product line expansions have not resulted in the disclosure of any new models.
Currently, the Cherub eC1, the brand’s only model, has ceased sales, leaving the brand in a de facto suspended state. Whether the brand can be revived largely depends on whether the local state-owned shareholder is willing to inject new funds and resources to drive product iteration or launch new models. Additionally, restarting growth in the new energy automobile sector would require leveraging Chery Group’s technological and channel advantages. Given the increasingly fierce competition in the A00-level micro electric vehicle market, if Cherub Automobile fails to introduce new products with clear differentiated positioning, returning to the market will be difficult. The brand’s short-term prospects are expected to remain quiet, with subsequent development hinging on the strategic decisions of local state-owned assets and the feasibility of new capital injections.
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