WUHU, China -- Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile plans to launch a hybrid vehicle in Japan next year, following rival BYD into the competitive Japanese market.

State-backed Chery plans to launch the Omoda 4, a compact SUV, a spokesperson told Nikkei Asia during a media tour this week at its Wuhu base near Shanghai.

The Omoda 4 was unveiled in April and showcased at the Paris Motor Show last week. Its angular exterior has drawn comparisons with the Lamborghini Urus from online commentators. The vehicle comes equipped with an infotainment system powered by artificial intelligence that responds to voice commands, although it responded only in English and Chinese during a demonstration on Monday.

Chery is also an investor in EMT, a joint venture between Chinese and Japanese companies that plans to roll out an electric kei minicar in Japan next year. Details of the model are expected to be announced in the coming months. The interior of a Chery Omoda 4, which made its global debut in April.

Founded in 1997, Chery houses a flurry of brands, including Omoda, Jaecoo, Exeed, Luxeed, Jetour and Lepas. Although little known in Japan, the group is China's top auto exporter, shipping 200,928 units abroad in September, up 53% from a year ago, according to Chery. The figure accounted for nearly three-quarters of the group's total sales. Its key shareholders include an investment fund managed by the Wuhu municipality and an affiliate of Apple supplier Luxshare.

Chinese auto exports including electric vehicles have surged this year, driven by rising oil prices stemming from the U.S. war with Iran and automakers' push to expand overseas to offset falling domestic sales. Markets such as Japan are becoming increasingly important for Chinese carmakers amid growing trade frictions with other regions. Earlier this month, trade officials of the European Union and China agreed to curb shipments of Chinese hybrid vehicles.

In a speech at its annual conference on Tuesday, Chery Chairman Yin Tongyue said the company "must go beyond simply selling goods" and "actively contribute to local communities and improve the lives of the people who live there." The Chery brand aims to "win respect" around the world, he added.

Chery's humanoid robots, fitted for tasks like traffic control and serving as hospital guides, are displayed at the company's showroom in Wuhu, China.

The company introduced self-developed AI models, batteries, chips and autonomous driving systems, along with a target to roll out 100,000 robotaxis by 2030. Yin vowed to "use AI to redefine the automobile," while another executive said the technology was already improving efficiency in vehicle design and other internal workflows.

Chery also demonstrated the capabilities of humanoid robots developed by its subsidiary AImoga, underscoring the race among Chinese carmakers to develop robots as a new source of revenue. In a simulated dealership showroom, a robot approached a car, grasped its door handle and opened it.

Humanoid robots appeared to have limited presence inside Chery's own factories, however. The company's main plant in Wuhu, which has an annual production capacity of about 300,000 vehicles, operates two shifts, each with about 1,000 employees, a company official said during a tour of the facility.