Chongqing - During China’s 14th Five-Year Plan, Chongqing’s new energy vehicle (NEV) sector has grown rapidly. At a Sept. 23 press conference, Wang Zhijie, Director of the Chongqing Municipal Economy and Information Technology Commission, said production jumped from 43,000 units in 2020 to 953,000 in 2024, a 21-fold increase.
In the production workshop of Avatr Digital Intelligence Factory, robotic arms process an automotive component. (Photo/Changan)
Wang noted that with 953,000 NEVs and total output of 2.54 million vehicles in 2024, Chongqing ranks third nationwide, solidifying its position as a major hub for both NEV and overall auto production in China.
Beyond production capacity, Wang also highlighted Chongqing's progress in the NEV sector in four key areas: leading enterprise brands, product market, infrastructure development, and related technology research and development.
In terms of fostering leading enterprise brands, China’s third central state-owned enterprise specializing in automobiles, China Changan Automobile Group, established its presence in Chongqing in July 2025, with an expected annual revenue exceeding 350 billion yuan (USD 49.2 billion).
Seres, in collaboration with Chinese tech giant Huawei, has also seen rapid development, with its revenue surpassing 145 billion yuan in 2024, making it the world’s fourth profitable NEV company.
Additionally, Chongqing nurtures intelligent technology solution provider Qianli Technology based in Liangjiang New Area, which launched its intelligent assisted driving solution 1.0 in June 2025, marking the early success of its “AI+Vehicle” strategy.
In the product market, the value of Chongqing-made NEVs has substantially increased, reaching 236,000 yuan. Models such as Aito, Avatr, and Deepal have become consumer favorites.
The Aito M9 2025 Edition is developed through a collaboration between Seres and Huawei, a Chinese technology company. (Photo/Seres)
Aito, a luxury brand jointly launched by Seres and Huawei, is headquartered in Liangjiang New Area, with its M8 and M9 models becoming bestsellers in China’s 400,000-500,000-yuan luxury vehicle segment.
Avatr, a result of the collaboration between Changan Automobile (Changan), an automaker under China Changan Automobile Group, Huawei, and CATL, a global energy giant, has achieved sales of over 10,000 units for six consecutive months. Deepal, another brand under Changan, has emerged as the sales leader in the NEV sector within China’s state-owned automotive enterprises.
In infrastructure development, Chongqing has built 422,000 charging piles, ensuring that there is one charging station for every two NEVs. The city has also constructed 1,556 supercharging stations, becoming the first in China at the provincial level to achieve full coverage of ultra-fast charging facilities in townships and streets. Additionally, Chongqing is advancing 10 national pilot projects, including Level 3 intelligent assisted driving and vehicle-road-cloud integration applications.
Regarding NEV technology R&D, Chongqing’s automotive industry invests 69% more in R&D than the national average. Local industry leaders, such as Changan, have established research and design centers in Japan, the United States, and Europe. Seres’ automotive platform technology integrates chassis, body, power, and software, and it is the world’s first multi-power compatible platform, supporting super-extended range, pure electric, and super hybrid drivetrains.
At the press conference, Wang also introduced Chongqing’s manufacturing progress during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Industrial added value rose from 699.1 billion yuan in 2020 to 891.2 billion yuan, with manufacturing now accounting for 25.1% of GDP. Meanwhile, the output of strategic emerging industries grew from 32% to 39.9% of total industrial output, placing Chongqing among the top cities in China.