Chongqing- The world has spared no effort to develop intelligent new energy vehicles (NEVs). To forge a world-class industrial cluster of intelligent NEVs, as a traditional auto powerhouse in Southeast China, Chongqing has seized the reigns of this strategic period.

How will the municipality bring its auto industry into a new era?

On April 8, the first consultation meeting of the "Zhihui Economic Circle" duty performance platform of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC kicked off at the Qingfeng Factory of Chongqing Jinkang New Energy Automobile Co., Ltd.

Members of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and heads of relevant departments offered suggestions on the current concerns.

Urgent needs

In the workshop of Jinkang, SERES' new model of large luxury SUV will soon be launched. 

"13.4 percent market share of NEV sales in 2021 marks an inflection point in China," said Luo Minggang, a member of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and Chief Expert of Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd.

"China's NEVs market has transferred from government-driven to market-driven with policy as a supplement. At this stage, the proportion of the individual consumption continues to increase while the subsidy policy continues to decline, indicating a healthy and sustainable market," Luo addressed.

Yang Min, a member of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and Chairman of Chongqing Bescar Automobile Co., Ltd., deals directly with the market and believes that the NEV market boasts huge potential.

In his view, the important role of NEVs in realizing the goals of "carbon emission peaking" and "carbon neutrality," the intelligent technology, and the innovation of business models have contributed to the soar of NEVs.

Meanwhile, the rapid growth of the new-generation consumer group "post-90s" will further fuel the intelligent NEVs market.

Wang Lin, a member of the Standing Committee of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and a professor at Chongqing University, said that the NEV industrial chain is not perfect now, with low industrial concentration and weak ties with the local market. Yet, this brings a window period to Chongqing.

Some members believed that this window period would last two or three years. If Chongqing cannot seize the opportunity, it will be knocked out of the game.

Undeniably, on this new track, what matters is the ability of the government and enterprises to grasp the general trend, their ability of technological innovation, cross-border integration, and integration resources.

Wang said that Chongqing still enjoys promising prospects thanks to the inextricable connection between the intelligent NEVs and the oil-fueled automobiles. 

Wang suggested that all parties in Chongqing enhance their confidence to secure the final victory and offer financial and material resources to seize the strategic opportunity period to forge a world-class industrial cluster.

Luo argued that the next two years would transform and upgrade intelligent NEVs in Chongqing. Major auto enterprises will roll out their new products intensively. For example, the intelligent pure electric vehicle Avatr 11 launched by Changan, Huawei, and CATL will officially go on sale in September this year.

Luo suggested that the government accelerate a plan for Chongqing's new industrial automobile chain, which is deeply integrated with energy, transportation, information and communication, and a smart city.

"Software defines the future of intelligent NEVs," said Zhang Zhengping, Rotating Chairman of Sokon Group.

Zhang also holds that automobiles in the future will completely change the human mode of travel and lifestyle and bring us into a new intelligent era.

As the industry of intelligent NEVs is capital- and talent-intensive, Zhang hoped that the government would shore up policy and financial support to encourage enterprises' investment in cultivating key technologies, brand promotion, etc.

The urgent demand for skilled talents

The reformation is accompanied by technological innovation and upgrading, leading to an urgent demand for skilled talents and workers.

Zhang has a profound feeling about this. "Talent is vital to intelligent NEVs. To attract talents worldwide, Sokon Group has established an R&D center located in Silicon Valley, the U.S. Those global elites are expected to lead the Group's R&D of intelligent electric vehicles and special products of various systems."

Although Chongqing has issued relevant policies to attract talents, there is still a gap compared with developed areas in China. Zhang suggested that the city step up policy support for talent, such as individual income tax relief.

Luo proposed that government needs to offer orientation training for compound talent in intelligent networking technology, software technology, as well as vehicles + IT + communication, provide support to introduce foreign talent, and encourage enterprises and universities to cultivate interdisciplinary talent jointly.

Improve supporting sectors

As the ecological chain of intelligent NEVs emerges, energy, transportation, information, and communication must catch up.

"Chongqing has not developed a master plan for the new ecosystem of intelligent vehicles yet, " said Luo.

Luo advised that relevant government departments need to formulate a plan for the new ecological chain, including the integration of intelligent networked vehicles with energy, transportation, information and communication, and a smart city.

Luo added that battery charging/swapping infrastructure and smart parking lots are important in urban construction.

More resources are needed to support the construction of high-power superchargers to shorten the charging time.

Government should take the lead to develop a unified intelligent parking management platform in the city and facilitate all parking lots in the city to share data on the platform.

"Charging piles are the foundation for the electric vehicle industry," said Zhou Xiong, a member of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the CPPCC and Party Secretary and Chairman of State Grid Chongqing Electric Power Company.

By 2025, the number of charging piles in the city will reach 270,000, which will provide enormous demands on the power grid.

In this regard, Zhou suggested that the public charging piles plan should be prepared in advance to guarantee the capacity of the charging infrastructure.

Luo Yuguang put forward that Chengdu and Chongqing should accelerate the construction of the hydrogen energy supply station network around the air, railway, and road logistics distribution centers.

Innovate marketing

Productivity is important, and so is marketing.

Luo expressed his confidence about Avatr 11. He also admitted that real success depends on market feedback.

"I strongly agree with Changan Automobile and Jinkang Seres AITO cooperating with Huawei, which can leverage respective strengths in vehicle R&D and manufacturing and intelligent vehicle solutions. Meanwhile, consolidated sales channels are meaningful." As Yang Min said, the AITO brand has penetrated Huawei's nationwide sales network.

Currently, Huawei has more than 100 stores in Chongqing, at 12 of which AITO vehicles can be displayed and ordered.

"At first, Tesla took advantage of supermarkets to provide test-drive services. Looking ahead, we will make strategic plans about supermarkets and test-drive centers," according to Yang.

Moreover, Yang suggested that distributors need to change customer services by integrating test drive experience, financial insurance, second-hand vehicle exchange, bespoke modification, and membership system.

In this way, consumers could get more convenient purchasing and using services.

At the meeting, it is a consensus among many members that a NEV is no longer a conventional vehicle but a "new species" and an ambulatory "small room."