Chongqing - Chongqing is strengthening its position in China’s electric vehicle industry as Seres Group-backed AITO and Changan Automobile post strong 2025 sales, alongside a sharp expansion in overseas sales and operations.

An AITO pop-up store in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/Zheng Ran)

Seres Group said on January 3 that AITO delivered over 57,000 vehicles in December 2025, a monthly record, with full-year deliveries exceeding 420,000 units, cementing its position in China’s high-end new energy vehicles (NEV) market.

Since its launch, AITO has delivered more than 970,000 vehicles in total. In 2025, the brand expanded its product lineup with several new models, including the 2025 edition of the AITO M9, the AITO M8 in both extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) and battery electric versions, and the updated AITO M7.

Several AITO models maintained leading positions within their respective market segments. The AITO M9 ranked first in China's luxury SUV segment priced above 500,000 yuan (about 71,491 U.S. dollars) for 20 consecutive months. The model also led peer vehicles in metrics such as resale value and net promoter score, with cumulative deliveries surpassing 260,000 units since launch. The AITO M8 recorded over 150,000 deliveries within eight months of market entry, establishing a presence in the 400,000-yuan SUV segment. 

Meanwhile, cumulative deliveries of the AITO M7 exceeded 370,000 units, with the updated version, launched in September 2025, competing in the 300,000-yuan SUV category.

In after-sales services, AITO continued to expand its offline network. More than 80 new customer service centers were added nationwide in 2025, bringing the total to nearly 400 centers across more than 200 Chinese cities. The brand also offers digital services such as remote diagnostics and over-the-air (OTA) software updates, which allow vehicle systems to be upgraded wirelessly.

The performance of AITO aligns with broader growth reported by its strategic partner, Changan Automobile. Changan said it sold 2.9 million vehicles in 2025, an 8.5% increase year on year and the company's highest annual total in nearly nine years. NEV sales reached 1.1 million units, up 51% from the previous year, while overseas sales rose 18.9% to 637,000 vehicles, according to company data released recently.

On August 31, 2024, Changan Automobile holds its brand launch event for the Middle East and Africa markets at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (Photo/Changan Automobile)

China's auto market in 2025 faced slowing overall demand and sustained price competition, but domestic brands continued to strengthen their position in the NEV segment. Changan, which became an independent central state-owned enterprise during the year, said this transition improved decision-making efficiency and strategic autonomy. The company refers to its current development phase as its "third startup," focusing on new energy, intelligent systems and international expansion.

Changan operates three major NEV brands- Avatr, Deepal, and Qiyuan- covering a price range of 100,000 to 400,000 yuan. In November 2025, these brands accounted for nearly three-quarters of the company's total NEV sales.

The automaker also continued expanding overseas operations with more than 14,000 international sales outlets now covering over 100 countries and regions. A new NEV manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand, began operations in 2025, supporting right-hand-drive markets in Southeast Asia.

Guests visit Changan Automobile's new energy vehicles at the company's 2025 European brand launch event on March 21, 2025, at Mainz, Germany. (Photo/Changan Automobile)

Changan's growth has also supported Chongqing's ambition to build a world-class intelligent connected NEV manufacturing cluster, with the city ranking third nationwide in vehicle output in the first 10 months of 2025, according to official data.