At the Changan Automobile factory, robotic arms on the production line assemble vehicles. (Photo/Lin Hao)
Chongqing - In 2025, Chongqing reclaimed its status as China’s top auto manufacturing hub, producing 2.788 million vehicles. At an open day for the Chongqing delegation to the National People’s Congress (NPC), NPC deputy and Changan Chairman Zhu Huarong hailed the momentum, declaring in local dialect that the city’s auto industry is “rising.”
As a leading figure in the local auto sector, Zhu noted that Changan, a core automaker and the third centrally state-owned auto enterprise based in Chongqing, has built a formidable industrial ecosystem. Acting as an industry anchor, the company directly drives over 2,400 upstream and downstream supply chain partners.
Changan's growth mirrors the broader evolution of Chongqing’s auto industry, which is defined by global expansion, smart technology, the new energy transition, and digitalization.
Emphasizing the need to compete internationally, Zhu stated that Changan has shifted from simply exporting products to exporting an ecosystem encompassing research and development, production, and talent. The company now employs a 24,000-strong technical team across multiple countries and regions, having invested 61 billion yuan (approx. 8.87 billion U.S. dollars) over the past five years.
On the production front, its Thailand-based new energy vehicle (NEV) plant officially launched operations in 2025 with an initial annual capacity of 100,000 units for both left and right hand drive models. To support this expansion, Changan is accelerating international recruitment, with localized staff accounting for 70% of its overseas subsidiaries in 2025 and targeted to reach 90% by 2030.
Smart vehicle technology has become the industry's latest frontier. In December 2025, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology approved two Level 3 (L3) autonomous driving models for road access, including one from Changan. Later, Chongqing issued China's first official L3 license plate.
Zhu explained that L3 is defined by two core distinctions: a shift in liability, where the manufacturer assumes responsibility for the vehicle's operation, and true autonomous functionality that actively pilots the vehicle, fundamentally differing from Level 2 assisted driving systems.
The granting of L3 license in Chongqing highlights the city’s robust innovation ecosystem and Changan’s sustained R&D. Zhu noted that Chongqing provides comprehensive support—from policy and technology to industrial clusters and talent—enabling breakthroughs by industry leaders. In recent years, Changan’s investment in smart technology has reached 20 billion yuan.
The foundation for these smart capabilities is the transition to new energy. In 2025, Chongqing's NEVs accounted for 1.296 million of the 2.788 million units—almost 46.5% of total output. Zhu stated that NEV production in Chongqing has surged 30-fold in just five years.
He added that over this period, Chongqing has cultivated prominent NEV brands like Avatr, Deepal, and Seres. Currently, the average price of Chongqing-made NEVs has reached 240,000 yuan, matching the average in developed markets and signaling a boost in brand premium.
Zhu Huarong, an NPC deputy and Chairman of Changan Automobile Group, responded to journalists' questions regarding Chongqing's new energy vehicle industry. (Photo/Luo Huxin)
Changan's transformation also extends deep into its research and manufacturing processes through comprehensive digitalization. By utilizing virtual simulation and AI design, the company has substantially boosted R&D efficiency.
On the factory floor, the widespread adoption of 5G technology has interconnected every production node within the factory. This digital integration has reduced overall manufacturing costs by 20% while simultaneously boosting production efficiency by 20%.