HEFEI -- Chinese automaker Chery began work on a new plant capable of making 60,000 pure electric vehicles a year, on Tuesday in east China.

The 1.56 billion yuan (around $240 million) factory in Wuhu, Anhui province, will produce pure electric vehicles with aluminum alloy frames.

The company began selling electric cars in 2008.

The first phase of construction is set to be complete September this year and will produce 10,000 pure electric cars each year. The first model of this production line will be a small SUV.

The second phase of construction will be finished by the end of next year.

Chery aims to boost its annual sale of new energy vehicles to 200,000 units by 2020. The figure in 2015 was 14,000 units, an increase of 66 percent year on year.