In February 2025, it became known that the enterprise in the Kaluga region, formerly owned by Volkswagen, had resumed operations and was ready to produce cars under the new Tenet brand. The technological partner in this project is the Chinese company Defetoo, which is not yet well known in Russia.
Defetoo is a large Chinese automotive company that receives support from the state. It also acts as a technology aggregator and is subordinate to the government of Anhui Province.
The Anhui government is actively developing a cluster model of the automotive industry, and Defetoo, being a strategic platform for the province's government bodies, is focused not on traditional exports, but on development in foreign markets through deep localization.
In 2024, Anhui Province became the leader in car production among all provinces in China for the first time. Over the year, 3.6 million cars were produced, which is 43% more than in 2023. In early 2025, car production in Anhui Province continued to grow. In the first two months, 445,000 cars were produced.
When the launch of the new Tenet brand was announced in Russia, many assumed that Defetoo was a subsidiary of Chery Group. But this is not the case. Defetoo representatives made it clear that they have no shareholder ties with Chery Group.
We have broad autonomy and the ability to make flexible decisions, which allows us to quickly adapt to market needs.
The main owner of Defetoo is a platform that manages state assets in the People's Republic of China. The company's management includes professionals who previously held positions in government bodies and state-owned enterprises.
Defetoo believes that cooperation with AGR Holding could be an important event for the Russian automotive industry, providing a long-term strategy for interaction with foreign partners.
Our main goal is not just to supply technology, but to build a long-term strategic integration that ensures stable growth and development of the Tenet project.
Earlier it became known that Russian dealers selling Chery cars began to conclude new contracts for the sale of cars under the new Tenet brand. The AGR Group, which owns the former Volkswagen, Hyundai-Kia and General Motors plants in Russia, plans to launch several models under this brand.
Read more on the topic:
First shots of the newest car of the Russian car brand Tenet have appeared
The first Tenet dealerships in St. Petersburg may appear in April-May
It became known which Chery models will be released under the disguised brand Tenet
