EBRO will start manufacturing its vehicles in the Free Zone starting November

2024-09-11 11:12:08

Last April, an agreement was reached with the Chinese manufacturer and car dealer Chery. The contract, majority owned by EBRO, has made the renovation of the Barcelona Free Trade Zone plant a reality.

EBRO forecasts, nearing the final approval of its S700 and S800 SUV models, that its production can begin in November of this year, which means the full operation of the company’s assembly lines and the renewal of a hundred workers .

The EBRO S700 and EBRO S800 will be the first to leave the company’s assembly lines with an operational shift that will employ around a hundred people. It is planned to have a second shift in the spring of next year and a third for the summer, to complete a total of 300 jobs. The goal is to guarantee the employment of the renewable pool as the production lines are distributed to workers who currently employed under training process.

The DKD (Direct Knock Down) assembly lines will then be fully occupied with the assembly of these cars, whose sales forecasts have exceeded initial expectations. There are already agreements with 30 points of sale from the exclusive dealer network for the EBRO brand, distributed throughout Spain. This distribution network will also provide after-sales services and cover the brand’s extensive warranty programs.

The goal is to place these models among the best sellers in their segment by 2025. EBRO plans to produce about 15,000 units next year. The S700 and S800, awaiting the final approval necessary to start production, are two medium-sized SUVs with PHEV (Plug in Hybrid) and combustion engines, very technologically advanced, with safety standards and aids to top level driver.

The cars will be produced under a platform and technology shared with Chery, EBRO’s partner for vehicle production in Spain.

Prototype of EBRO Pick-Up

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Chery’s Omoda 5 electric model, whose production is also scheduled for the end of this year at the DKD conference (Direct Knock Down), will begin production in 2025. The regulatory change announced by the European Commission last June, which will have impact on Imports of electric Chinese cars, together with optimistic sales forecasts for EBRO models, has led to the renewal of vehicle production at the plant.

In this way, the Spanish brand cars will be the first to receive DKD assembly lines while the Omoda 5 electric will be made in CKD (Kick Complete), that will include a complete welding and full line for its production from the beginning of production next year. The car will be produced locally in the Barcelona factory, with a positive effect on the performance of the local welfare company and an increased value for the vehicle.

According to Pedro Calef, CEO of EBRO «Good sales prospects will lead us to fully utilize the production capacity of the assembly lines with our models; and the work that will start next year that adds complete welding and painting line will open new opportunities for the local welfare company, and for the production of other Chery cars.

The S700 and the S800

The models show an exterior design that shows their strength, with lines and lines, and the interior and the trunk. They are distinguished by the number of seats since the EBRO S800, with 4.72m in length. , there are seven; two more than the S700, with 4.51m.

EBRO S700

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The EBRO S700 and EBRO S800 can be purchased with a combustion engine or a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

The cars will be sold with two trim levels, whose equipment will be confirmed later and is intended for a family audience. The price, pending decision, “will be competitive in line with the market,” as explained by the brand.

The vehicles, both in the combustion version (ICE- 1.6 TGDI -150 HP) and in the plug-in hybrid (PHEV – 1.5 TGDI – 350 HP total power), incorporate QPOWER technologies. Within QPOWER we can find elements such as high-efficiency combustion engines with direct injection transmissions between 1.5 and 2.0 l, high-density lithium batteries, special DHT transmission and electronic controllers for the correct interaction between all elements.

This new device allows more than 80km of autonomy in electric mode, so 90% of trips can be done in electric mode; and is an example of EBRO’s commitment to new technologies that contribute to the decarbonization of mobility.