BARCELONA - Spain's Ebro-EV Motors and China's Chery Automobile celebrated the start of vehicle production at their joint venture, the Ebro Factory, located in the Zona Franca of Barcelona.

Speaking at the ceremony, Spanish Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu praised the partnership as a model for future joint ventures between Chinese and Spanish companies, expressing hope for more collaborations like Ebro and Chery across Spain.

The factory's first output includes the s700 SUV, with the s800 SUV to follow in coming weeks. Both mid-size models will feature Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) and combustion engines, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the reborn historic Spanish brand.

"Thanks to cooperation among institutions, unions, investors, and Chery, we are giving life to a new generation of vehicles that blend historical legacy with innovation," said Rafael Ruiz, president of EV Motors, Ebro's parent company.

Chery's Chairman Yin Tongyue highlighted the cultural and historical significance of the Ebro brand in Spain, saying "Chery and Ebro join hands to pool the strengths of both companies and have committed to transforming the Ebro brand into the main national automobile brand in Spain."

The two sides "aim to achieve sustainable development through the joint development and promotion of new green energy technologies," Yin added.

Ebro-EV Motors and Chery Automobile signed a pact in April to develop new electric vehicles through a joint venture in Barcelona.

With the partnership, Chery becomes the first Chinese automaker to produce vehicles in Europe. The joint venture, repurposing a former Nissan plant that closed in 2021, is expected to create 1,250 jobs and churn out 150,000 vehicles in 2029.

Vehicles will be distributed across Spain through a growing network, with over 45 confirmed points of sale and 30 of them operational by year-end.