As a Chery auto parts supplier, I get asked all the time by both fellow industry folks and regular car owners: “What even are Chery parts made of?” It’s a fair question—especially when you’re trying to figure out why a certain part holds up, or how to pick the right replacement when your car needs it. I’ve been working with Chery components for over 10 years now, so I’ve got hands-on experience with the materials that go into everything from brake calipers to door panels, and let me tell you, it’s not just a random mix of metals and plastics. Chery engineers are super specific about every single material, because that’s how they keep those cars running reliably for hundreds of thousands of miles. Chery Auto Parts
Let’s start with the stuff that makes up most of the under-the-hood heavy hitters—engine parts, transmission components, suspension bits. If you look at a Chery’s engine block, it’s not pure iron like it used to be back in the day. It’s a specialized cast aluminum alloy, usually called AlSi9Cu3. This alloy is perfect because it’s lightweight, which helps with fuel efficiency, and it’s super strong even when exposed to extreme heat (like, 200+ degrees Celsius, which is way hotter than anything you’d feel on a summer day). I remember switching from old cast iron to this aluminum alloy about 8 years ago as a supplier, and the difference was night and day—less weight means better gas mileage, and the parts don’t warp as much under constant engine stress. For parts that need even more durability, like crankshafts or connecting rods, Chery uses forged steel—specifically 42CrMo4, which is a low-alloy carbon steel. Forged steel is way tougher than cast steel, so it can handle the constant twisting and pressure from the engine pistons without cracking. We make a lot of these connecting rods at our factory, and the process is strict—each one gets tested for fatigue resistance, because if a crankshaft fails, it’s not just a part issue, it’s a whole engine issue.
Then there’s the transmission. Most Chery passenger cars these days use either a manual or a dual-clutch automatic, and the parts inside those are a mix of hardened steel and high-performance polymer. The gear teeth, for example, are made of case-hardened 16MnCr5 steel. Case hardening means we heat the steel and add a layer of carbon to the surface, so the outside is super hard (resists wear) and the inside is tough (resists breaking). That’s crucial for gears, because they’re constantly sliding against each other at high speeds. For the transmission housings, they actually use a different aluminum alloy—AlSi10Mg—which is a bit more rigid than the engine block alloy, since it has to hold all the gears in place without flexing too much. I once had a customer bring in a Chery transmission that failed because a cheap replacement housing used regular plastic instead of this aluminum alloy, and it cracked after 50k miles. That’s when I realized how non-negotiable Chery’s material specs are—cut corners here, and you’re looking at big repairs down the line.
Moving on to the body and interior, which are the parts people see and touch every day. The outer body panels—hoods, doors, fenders—are mostly made of cold-rolled steel (CRS) for the base, but they get coated with a zinc phosphate layer first to prevent rust. Wait, no—actually, Chery uses hot-dip galvanized steel for most body panels these days, especially on newer models like the Tiggo 8. Hot-dip galvanizing means we dip the steel into molten zinc, so the zinc bonds to the surface and creates a permanent rust barrier. That’s why you don’t see a lot of old Cherys with rusted-out doors like you used to 15 years ago. For parts that need to be both strong and lightweight, like the front bumper beam, they use a combination of high-strength steel (HSS) and even some carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in top-tier models. The bumper beam has to absorb impact in a crash without breaking, so HSS gives it that strength, and CFRP on the inner parts cuts down on weight without sacrificing safety.
Interior parts are where it gets interesting—people always assume car interiors are just cheap plastic, but Chery uses different plastics for different jobs. The hard interior trim pieces, like the dashboard frame or door handle bases, are made of polypropylene (PP) with talc filler. Talc is a mineral that makes the PP stiffer and more heat-resistant, so it doesn’t warp when you leave your car in the sun all day. The softer parts, like the armrests or the steering wheel, use thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) blends. TPU is way more durable than regular PVC, so it resists scratches and doesn’t get sticky over time—something I’ve seen a lot with generic replacement parts. Even the floor mats aren’t just rubber; Chery uses a closed-cell polyethylene foam with a rubber outer layer, so it’s water-resistant and doesn’t get smelly after a while.
Wait, I can’t forget about the electrical parts, which are some of the most important but most overlooked. All the wiring harnesses, sensors, and the infotainment system are made with materials that have to handle heat, moisture, and constant vibration. The wiring insulation is usually cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), which is way more heat-resistant than regular plastic—so it doesn’t melt if the engine bay gets hot. For connectors, they use a combination of nylon (PA66) and gold-plated copper contacts. Nylon is tough and resists chemicals, and gold plating prevents corrosion, so the electrical signals don’t cut out when you’re driving through rain or snow. I’ve seen so many electrical issues with cars that used generic connectors that skipped the gold plating—after a few years, the contacts get corroded, and your infotainment or taillights stop working. Chery’s spec for gold plating is at least 0.5 microns thick, which might sound tiny, but it makes a huge difference in durability.
Brakes are another big area where material choice matters. The brake rotors on Chery cars are usually gray iron, but with a graphite coating to reduce noise and improve heat dissipation. Gray iron is cheap and works well for brakes, but the graphite coating is a Chery-specific tweak that stops the squeaking that used to be common on old brake systems. The brake pads, though, are a mix of semi-metallic and ceramic materials. Semi-metallic pads have steel fibers for durability, but ceramic pads are quieter and don’t wear down the rotors as fast—so newer Chery models use ceramic pads on the front brakes for a smoother stop. I remember when we first started supplying ceramic brake pads for Chery, the team had to test them for 6 months to make sure they met the heat resistance requirements, because ceramic pads can struggle in very heavy braking situations. Turns out, they adjusted the mix to include a bit more copper, and now they work even better than the old semi-metallic ones.
Oh, and let’s not forget about the newer electric Chery models—like the Omoda 5 EV—those have totally different material needs. The battery packs are made with a lightweight aluminum casing (AlMg3, to be exact) that’s both strong enough to protect the lithium-ion cells in a crash and light enough to not kill the car’s range. The battery modules themselves use a flame-retardant polymer to contain any thermal runaway, which is a huge safety concern for EVs. Even the EV’s suspension uses more aluminum parts to cut down on weight, which helps with range too. I got to see a prototype Omoda 5 EV a couple years ago, and the entire subframe was aluminum—no steel there, which was wild compared to the gas models.
As a Chery parts supplier, I can tell you that one of the biggest things that sets Chery apart from other brands is how specific they are about every material. It’s not like some companies that just say “use plastic” or “use steel”—they give exact grades, thicknesses, even coating processes. That’s why Chery cars are so reliable, honestly. If you try to cut corners and use a cheaper material, it doesn’t pass their quality checks, so we can’t even send it out. I’ve had times when a client asked for a “cheaper version” of a part, and I have to explain that we can’t—Chery’s specs are non-negotiable. For example, last year a customer asked for a cheaper engine valve, and when I showed him that Chery requires 21-4N stainless steel for valves, not the regular 304 stainless, he realized why the price is what it is. 21-4N is heat-resistant up to 700 degrees Celsius, so it doesn’t burn out like cheaper valves would.
A lot of people ask me if generic replacement parts are made with the same materials. The short answer is no—most generic parts use lower-grade materials to cut costs. A generic brake rotor might be regular cast iron instead of gray iron with graphite coating, so it rusts faster and squeaks. A generic interior trim piece might be regular PP without talc, so it warps in the sun. That’s why sticking to genuine Chery parts or parts from a trusted supplier like us is so important—we use exactly the materials Chery engineers designed the parts for.
If you’re a car owner looking for replacement parts, or a shop owner stocking Chery parts, you might be wondering where to get parts that meet Chery’s material specs. I work directly with Chery’s approved suppliers, so every part we make follows their exact material guidelines. We test every batch of parts—we do tensile strength tests, heat resistance tests, corrosion tests, everything—to make sure they match Chery’s standards. Over the years, we’ve had parts tested by independent labs, and they’ve always come back meeting or exceeding Chery’s requirements.
At the end of the day, the materials in Chery auto parts aren’t just a list of chemicals—they’re the reason those cars run well, last long, and stay safe. Every material is chosen for a specific job: lightweight aluminum for fuel efficiency, high-strength steel for crash safety, heat-resistant plastics for under the hood, corrosion-resistant zinc coatings for rust protection. As a supplier, I take pride in making sure every part we send out uses the right stuff, no shortcuts. If you’re in the market for Chery parts, whether you need an engine part, interior trim, brake components, or EV parts, I’m here to help with genuine, Chery-spec materials that you can trust. Hit me up to talk through your needs, get a quote, or ask any questions about the materials that go into Chery parts—I’m happy to share what I know after years in this business.
Chery Tiggo 7 Drive Shaft References:
- Chery Automobile Co., Ltd. (2022). Material Specification for Passenger Vehicle Components. Chery Global Engineering Standards.
- ASM International. (2019). Cast Aluminum Alloys for Automotive Applications. ASM Handbook, Volume 2: Properties of Steel and Other Alloys.
- Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). (2021). Standard J1961: Automotive Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel Sheet. SAE International.
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO). (2020). ISO 10327: Automotive Brake Pads – Performance Requirements and Test Methods. ISO.
- Chery New Energy. (2023). EV Battery Component Material Guidelines. Chery Electric Vehicle Technical Documents.
Wuhu Shengsheng Automotive Parts Co., Ltd.
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