Chongqing- Covering key industries, infrastructure, open platforms, and scientific and technological innovation, Southwest China's Chongqing Liangjiang New Area launched and completed some projects on July 30, introducing a new force into Chongqing's new energy vehicle (NEV) industry. 

Among the projects under construction, the Ganfeng new lithium battery technology industrial park and the advanced battery research institute are the most eye-catching.

Chongqing's largest solid-state battery production base

Invested in the project, Ganfeng Lithium is the largest lithium compound manufacturer in China and the world's largest metal lithium and lithium hydroxide manufacturer. 

Li Liangbin, chairman of the firm, introduced the Ganfeng new lithium battery technology industrial park. The advanced battery research institute project under construction consists of three sub-projects, including a solid-state battery technology research institute solid-state battery production base and the battery Pack system.

"The project will build China's largest solid-state battery production base," said Li. "The battery capacity and the Pack system are planned to be 10 GWh, respectively, including battery cells, modules, Battery Management System (BMS), and battery pack system solutions to boost the high-quality development of Chongqing's NEV industry." As part of the project, a world-class solid-state battery research and development center and a testing center will be built in Liangjiang New Area, bringing over 800 high-level talent to Chongqing and promoting leapfrog development in this field.  

In recent years, Chang'an, Ford, GWM, Ideal, Geely, Dongfeng, BYD, SGMW, and other domestic and foreign auto groups have built new bases and increased investment in Chongqing. As a strong automobile industry base in China, Chongqing has maintained an automobile output of more than two million vehicles, with a complete range of products and a relatively complete parts supply system.

Furthermore, Chongqing is speeding up the construction of a national pilot area for the Internet of Vehicles, a national demonstration city for the electric vehicle battery-swapping model, and a national demonstration city for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. In the days to come, it will accelerate the building of a world-class industrial cluster of intelligent new energy vehicles.

Chongqing's output of NEVs is expected to exceed 1 million by 2025

At the 2022 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition, held at the Chongqing International Expo Center this June, more than 300 NEV models from over 40 brands stole the show.

NEVs have become a highlight of the Chinese vehicle market. As an influential auto exhibition in Southwest China, the event presents not only new vehicle models and technologies but also the latest trends in the industry.

Chongqing's output of NEVs is expected to exceed 1 million by 2025 and reach 3 million by 2030. By then, a group of domestic leading enterprises and brands with global influence will come into being, according to Wang Chunshui from the Chongqing Economic and Information Technology Commission.

According to Wang, the global intelligent automobile industry has now entered a period of unprecedentedly intensive activity. The development of automobiles has subverted the tradition, combining the power of intelligence and technological progress. Wang believes that the transformation of the intelligent automobile industry is on the "eve" of a significant breakthrough and also in the golden period of development.

(Ge Rongchen, as an intern, also contributed to this report.)