Chongqing - Chongqing's new energy vehicle (NEV) production surged by 90.5% in 2024, reaching 953,200 intelligent connected vehicles, according to a report from the Chongqing Academy of Science and Technology and Shangyou News. The city's R&D investment also outpaced the national average, hitting 3.1%.
AITO, jointly established by Chongqing-based Seres and Huawei, is a leading brand in China's luxury car market. (Photo/Seres)
With a strong industrial base and cross-sector collaboration, the city has developed a robust ecosystem of 19 automakers and 543 suppliers, spanning 12 assemblies, 56 components, and three major systems.
This industrial matrix is further strengthened by the extensive cooperation of industry participants and R&D institutions. In Liangjiang New Area, a core platform of Chongqing’s ICV development, automotive heavyweights and tech innovators are creating synergistic partnerships across industrial boundaries.
Changan Auto, China’s auto giant, has formed a safety technology alliance with eight entities, including the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) and China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI). Meanwhile, CAERI collaborates with Huawei, Seres, Geely, and Li Auto on automotive R&D.
Supported by technological breakthroughs, Liangjiang New Area produced over 550,000 NEVs in 2024, accounting for 58% of Chongqing’s total figure. Automakers secured commercial success - Changan’s subsidiary Deepal Auto sold 400,000 units in just 29 months, while Seres reported annual NEV sales of 426,885 units, surging 182.84% year-on-year.
SERES super factory is located in Liangjiang New Area. (Wang Jiaxi/Liangjiang New Area Media Center)
In 2023, Chongqing launched a globalization plan for the automobile industry. One year later, made-in-Chongqing vehicles expanded their presence across six continents.
Changan introduced three NEV brands - Deepal, Qiyuan, and Avatr - for the European market. Livan Auto, a Geely-Lifan joint venture, partnered with Indonesia’s Aletra to build a local R&D center for right-hand-drive EVs.
In the first month of 2025, Chongqing’s rail-based auto exports jumped over 60%, with NEV exports surging more than fivefold.
Chongqing has set a 2025 target to produce 1.3 million NEVs. Six areas were outlined as the key aspects to build an advanced, world-class ICV manufacturing cluster. That includes collaboration between automakers and parts suppliers, software-hardware integration, scenario-driven applications, digital empowerment, independent innovation, and brand enhancement.