Chongqing - Seres President He Liyang shared his excitement as a Seres AITO M9, made in Chongqing’s factory, arrived in Paris on October 14 after a 39-day, 15,000-kilometer journey across Eurasia. The high-end model debuted at the prestigious Paris Motor Show, marking a significant step for Chongqing’s expanding automotive industry.
The AITO M9, leading China's luxury car market, remains the top-selling model over 500,000 yuan (about 70,406 U.S. dollars) for six consecutive months. This success highlights the increasing global appeal of Chongqing-made cars.
On October 14, Seres' new energy vehicle attracted significant attention at the Paris Motor Show. (Photo provided by the interviewee)
Chongqing-made cars expand global reach
Seres is no stranger to long-distance ventures. In June 2023, the company launched the "European Tour," during which participants drove Seres's new energy vehicles (NEVs) through 21 European countries over 25 days. The journey tested the vehicles' capabilities, boosting Seres' presence in the European market. Now, Seres vehicles are sold in Norway, Germany, and France, with export prices increasing from 5,000 to over 40,000 U.S. dollars per vehicle.
While Seres focuses on Europe, Chongqing-based Changan Automobile is targeting the Middle East and Africa. On August 31, Changan held a brand launch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, announcing plans to introduce ten models to the region. "The Middle East and Africa are crucial to our global strategy," a Changan representative stated. Changan has been active in these markets for 20 years, consistently leading Chinese car sales in Saudi Arabia.
As these regions advance their economic and energy transitions, Changan is capitalizing on opportunities in both fuel-powered and NEVs. With sales exceeding 400,000 vehicles in these markets, Changan is also expanding in Southeast Asia, where it built a factory in Thailand and Central and South America, using Mexico as a base for fuel vehicle distribution.
Changan's global expansion plan targets 1.2 million vehicles overseas annually by 2030. This year, Changan's overseas sales reached 288,000 vehicles between January and September, a 65.5% increase year-on-year.
Changan and Seres are at the forefront of Chongqing’s push to expand internationally. From January to August this year, Chongqing exported 307,000 vehicles, up 32% year-on-year, valued at 27.72 billion yuan (about 3.9 billion U.S. dollars), a 36.7% rise.
Logistics firms empower the export
The surge in car exports has also spurred Chongqing’s logistics sector. "Our automotive export volume has skyrocketed this year," said He Daoguo, president of Meilian Logistics, which partners with several local automakers, including Changan and Seres, to ship vehicles to Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South America.
According to Xiao Hong, executive vice general manager of Changan Minsheng APLL Logistics’ international division, the company established a special task force to handle the growing demand for exporting Chongqing-made cars. The task force overcame challenges such as navigating cars through the conflict-ridden Red Sea and resolving European port congestion due to sudden import fee adjustments.
Logistics companies are adjusting their operations to better serve the Chongqing-made cars going global.
Cars are ready for export in Chongqing's Shapingba District. (Photo/Zhang Jinhui)
NEVs emerge as the key driver
On October 10, over 100 AVATR cars were shipped to Thailand for distribution across Southeast Asia. By year-end, even more AVATR vehicles will be exported to the region. The growing interest in NEVs is evident—Changan's Deepal 07 model has gained popularity not only in Thailand but throughout Southeast Asia, marking a shift away from Japan's dominance in the region’s automotive market.
Changan is prioritizing NEV expansion globally. In 2024, the company launched three NEV brands—Deepal, Nevo, and Avatr—in Europe and plans to introduce six more models by 2027. In the Middle East and Africa, Changan’s Deepal S7 and Nevo A05 received positive feedback at the Motor Show. Meanwhile, Changan's NEV models are gaining ground in Central and South America, with the Deepal S07 already available in Mexico.
Seres is also focusing on NEVs for its international growth. Seres Chairman Zhang Xinghai emphasized the company's commitment to research and intelligent manufacturing, positioning the AITO series as the cornerstone of its overseas NEV strategy.
"NEVs will undoubtedly be the 'next big thing' for Chongqing-made cars," said Zhan Yi, a researcher at the Chongqing Academy of Social Sciences. While fuel-powered cars currently dominate Chongqing’s exports, NEV exports have surged by 124.9% in the first nine months of this year.
Chongqing is implementing policies to support the growing NEV sector, paving the way for more Chongqing-made NEVs to enter global markets.
(Yang Jun, a reporter from Chongqing Daily, contributed the Chinese version of this report.)