Chery has become the latest Chinese brand to launch in the UK with a range of affordable, yet high-tech vehicles suited for British drivers, and with plans to invest directly in a facility in the UK, they could dominate quicker than expected.

Chery has been China's biggest exporter of cars for the last 22 years, although it's highly unlikely that any UK drivers are familiar with the brand.

At a glitzy event at the O2 in London, Chery - which derives its name from the word "cheery" - unveiled its entry into the UK. Despite being a newcomer to the UK market, you could easily be fooled into believing a company that could put on such an impressive show has been in the country for so long.

Chery's marketing has already gone into overdrive, adorning all advertising boards along the escalators at North Greenwich tube station.

Chery impressed the London audience with its offering of SUVs at a glitzy event in London

They could be following in the footsteps of fellow Chinese brands who have taken the commercial route by having a more visible presence than established Western brands in recent years.

BYD sponsored the Euros last summer, while Jaecoo and Omoda have got their hands on advertising rights for rugby's Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

Despite this, Chery is looking to separate itself from the crowd, with an initial offering of the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, which are available with both petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains.

As explained by Oli Lowe, Chery UK's head of product, the Tiggo 7 is perfect for families, with a 426-litre boot capacity, staggering technology to filter out harmful PM2.5 emissions and an affordable price starting from £24,995, making it one of the cheapest hybrids on the market.

Chery's 'Find Your Happy' slogan looks to evoke the excitement of drivers when they see one of its models

Similarly, the Tiggo 8 has all the modern appliances a family could want, such as a huge infotainment screen, wireless phone charging and a state-of-the-art Sony speaker system.

The brand is so confident in its offering that it provides a 7-year, 100,000-mile warranty. And they have every right to be confident in their vehicles.

Alongside the Tiggo 7 and Tiggo 8, Chery plans to launch the Tiggo 9 and Tiggo 4 in the coming years to complete the brand's SUV lineup. Both vehicles were on display at the show, wowing crowds with their stylish looks and impressive technical specs.

Dr Luan Yunfei, head of global powertrain engineering at Chery Group, told the large audience at the O2 that Chery had "mastered the impossible" by making the most advanced plug-in hybrid powertrain in the world.

The Chery Tiggo 8 Super Hybrid | CHERY

Chery Group has also impressed with its range of vehicles from other brands under its umbrella. Chery is the parent company of other popular brands that have recently launched in the UK, namely Jaecoo and Omoda.

Both brands have quickly captured the attention of British drivers, with the sister automakers selling more than 21,500 vehicles in the first eight months of the year, worth an impressive market share of 1.7 per cent.

Despite launching less than a year ago, Jaecoo and Omoda have already sold more vehicles than long-established brands like Citroen, Dacia, Fiat, Lexus, Porsche, Seat and Suzuki.

Critically, they are also hot on the heels of fellow Chinese brand BYD, which has seen registrations of new vehicles soar by 492 per cent compared to last year.

Tesla is also in the sights of Chery, Jaecoo and Omoda. While the brand has faced some perception issues over the last year because of the political aspirations of CEO Elon Musk, it remains one of the best-selling electric vehicle manufacturers in the world.

Chery UK CEO Gary Lan spoke of the brand's intention to launch an R&D site in the UK | CHERY UK

Officials from Chery consistently spoke about the manufacturer's 20-year struggle to actually make it to the UK. And now they won't take it for granted.

Gary Lan, CEO of Chery International, continually hinted that Chery was actively looking to establish a research and development base in the UK to further cement its position.

At a time when automotive brands are considering their future in the UK, Chery's enthusiastic interest in developing an R&D centre here would be a massive vote of confidence for the country.

The manufacturer, which is headquartered in Wuhu in the Anhui province in China, is starting with 25 dealerships across England, Scotland and Wales, with plans to have 100 within a year.

Chery, like Jaecoo and Omoda, could quickly become one of the most successful brands in the UK, and if they follow through on their plan to open an R&D centre, they could become a staple on roads sooner than you think.