Chongqing- Changan's AVATR, headquartered in Southwest Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, signed a comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei, one of China's giants in the tech industry, to jointly develop high-end smart automobiles. AVATR has revealed plans to launch four new models by 2025, according to the 24th Chongqing International Auto Exhibition on June 25.

High-end Smart Electric Vehicle Products

Based on CHN, the new generation of smart electric vehicle technology platform among Changan, Huawei, and Ningde era, the two enterprises will work together to create a series of high-end smart electric vehicle products and continue to iterate.

AVATR's first emotional smart electric coupé SUV, AVATR 11, which interprets the scientific and technological interaction of emotional intelligence, and its limited-edition model, AVATR 011, were unveiled together at the signing ceremony, announced to be listed on August 8.

"The signing of the comprehensive strategic cooperation agreement with Huawei not only confirms its recognition of the development of AVATR but also demonstrates the determination of the two enterprises to jointly master the most core technologies in hands of Chinese own," said Tan Benhong, Chairman and CEO of AVATR.

Not only with AVATR, but as early as 2019, Huawei started in-depth cooperation with Changan Automobile. Over the past three years, the two enterprises have continuously explored smart car solutions in areas such as smart driving, helping the auto industry to transform into an intelligent direction.

Furthermore, at this auto exhibition, the AITO Wenjie M5 and Huawei Zhixuan SF5 brought by SERES represent the deep cooperation between Chongqing Sokon Group and Huawei. Among them, Wenjie M5 started delivery in early March this year, and the cumulative delivery volume exceeded 10,000 in just 87 days, setting a new record for the fastest delivery of a single model of the new energy brand.

According to Xu Zhijun, Huawei's chairman, the company has invested more than $1 billion in the research and development (R&D) of smart automobiles in 2021.

"Huawei will further increase its R&D investment in smart driving systems to promote the integrated development of the automotive industry and the information industry," said Xu.

NEV into a rapid development

"I very much agreed with the cooperation between Changan Automobile, SERES AITO, and Huawei," said Yang Min,  chairman of Chongqing BESCAR Automobile Co., Ltd. "The cooperation gives full play to their respective advantages in vehicle R&D, and manufacturing and smart vehicle solutions, and the integration of SERES and Huawei in sales channels is also a very good exploration."

Yang believes that the advancement of automotive smart technology and the innovation of business models have brought new energy vehicles (NEVs) into a rapid development track.

According to data from the Chongqing Automobile Business Association and the Joint Advisory Committee of China Passenger Car Market (CPCA), in May, the sales volume of passenger vehicles in Chongqing was 27,100 units, an increase of 9% from the previous month.

It is worth noticing that the sales of NEVs increased by 106% year on year, and the penetration rate was close to 30%. That is to say, one out of every three cars sold in Chongqing is a NEV.

This auto exhibition's total area is 150,000 square meters, of which the first intelligent network-connected new energy vehicle hall in China occupies 20,000 square meters. More than 40 new energy brands brought more than 300 models. Local Chongqing brands such as Changan, SERES, and LIVAN released new models and completed the on-site signing.

(Zhu Qinzhou, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)