On September 4, Changan held the 6th Changan Technology Ecosystem Conference in Chongqing. (Photo/Changan)

Chongqing - A Chinese SUV recently caught the attention of The New York Times. After testing the Geely Galaxy M9 for 10 days in the United States, the newspaper devoted a full Business page to it on September 1, comparing its luxury to a Mercedes EQS SUV and its price to a well-equipped Honda Civic. 

The M9 highlights the rise of Chinese automakers as competition shifts from electrification to intelligent driving. On September 4, Chongqing-based Changan unveiled its fully in-house-developed SDA Pilot driver-assistance system.

The company also introduced the Changan Nevo Q06, with a pre-sale price starting at 147,900 yuan (about 22,040 U.S. dollars). The SUV comes in battery-electric and range-extended versions and offers LiDAR and advanced driver-assistance technologies.

As one of Chongqing’s leading automakers, Changan showcased a broader approach increasingly adopted by Chinese automakers: combining in-house R&D, platform-based development and industrial collaboration to bring intelligent technologies to market at scale.

That advantage is drawing growing attention across the global auto industry. The New York Times said Chinese automakers’ ability to keep prices low reflects deeper structural advantages, including greater vertical integration, larger production scale and lower management, operating and research costs.

Many Chinese carmakers control their own parts suppliers, allowing them to avoid supplier markups, the report said. They also tend to take longer than Western rivals to pay outside vendors. BYD’s average payment cycle is 155 days, compared with 149 days for Geely. That allows them to use cash on hand like an interest-free loan to fund operations. 

The New York Times found Geely's $35,000 Galaxy M9 offered luxury features at less than half the price of comparable U.S. models, backed by scale, integration and lower costs. (Graphic/The New York Times)

The report also cited research showing that none of these advantages would matter if Chinese-made cars failed to appeal to consumers. 

But after an extended test drive of the only Geely vehicle in the U.S., The New York Times reached a clear conclusion: if Chinese cars are ever sold in America, they could put intense pressure on U.S. rivals, competing with luxury models such as the Mercedes EQS SUV.

That combination of advanced technology and competitive pricing is also reaching more affordable segments. Changan’s Q06 is one example, bringing LiDAR and advanced driver-assistance features once largely reserved for premium vehicles to a wider market through platform-based development and large-scale deployment.

Changan Chairman: tomorrow’s cars will think and evolve

Chairman of China Changan Automobile Group, Zhu Huarong has said that vehicles are evolving into “intelligent automotive robots” capable of continuous evolution, and that core technologies must remain in the company’s own hands. Since launching its Dubhe Plan for intelligent mobility in 2018, Changan has continued to develop core technologies in areas including intelligent driving and smart interaction.

Its SDA architecture forms an important part of this technology base. It is Changan’s implementation of a software-defined vehicle architecture. The company describes it as an intelligent automotive super-digital platform built around a centralized electrical/electronic architecture, service-oriented software architecture and standardized, abstracted hardware architecture. The approach enables software-hardware decoupling and greater reuse of software capabilities across vehicle programs.

Changan previously explained that greater integration reduces the number of vehicle controllers, noting that each controller adds cost. As technologies mature, are reused across models and continue to evolve, in-house development can increasingly translate into cost advantages.

Beyond in-house R&D, open collaboration is another way Changan improves R&D efficiency and industrial coordination. In 2024, Changan-backed Avatr Technology acquired a 10% stake in Huawei-founded Yinwang Intelligent Technologies Co., Ltd. for 11.5 billion yuan, extending cooperation between the two sides from technology into capital and broader industrial collaboration.

In August 2026, China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. and Huawei signed another strategic cooperation framework agreement, expanding cooperation into areas including AI products and applications, automotive vertical large models, computing power and digital infrastructure.

In power batteries, China Changan Automobile Group signed a five-year memorandum with battery giant CATL in January 2026 to deepen strategic cooperation in technology deployment, market expansion, business model innovation and overseas development.

This combination of in-house development of core technologies and open collaboration in specialized fields allows automakers to better integrate industry resources, improve R&D coordination and accelerate the commercialization of new technologies.

Chongqing’s industrial base also supports Changan’s development. The city has built a comprehensive automotive cluster covering vehicle manufacturing, power batteries, auto parts and intelligent connected vehicle technologies. Public data show that Changan works with about 220 suppliers in Chongqing, with annual procurement in the region totaling about 47 billion yuan, while the local supply network continues to expand.

Changan introduced the Changan Nevo Q06 at the conference. (Photo/Changan)

Can Changan turn affordable EV technology into global success?

From the 140,000-yuan-class Changan Nevo Q06 to SDA Pilot and the SDA architecture, and from partnerships with Huawei to CATL, the price competitiveness of Changan increasingly rests on an efficiency system supported by technology reuse, large-scale deployment and industrial coordination.

Months ago, delegations from around the world recently toured Changan’s Global R&D Center, viewing a new generation of electric vehicles bound for Europe and other overseas markets. Ádám Karácsony, vice president of Pest County, Hungary, praised their quality, spacious six-seat cabins and advanced technology.

But he also highlighted a growing concern among European consumers: the full life cycle of EV batteries, from raw materials to disposal. Asked whether Hungary could host a Changan plant, following BYD’s investment there, Karácsony said: “If Changan is open to establishing new factories in Europe, I think Hungary is the best place.”

Similar interest emerged at the 2025 Chongqing International Auto Exhibition. European media watched robotic arms assemble vehicles in Changan’s factory, while Polish influencer Grzegorz Konieczny praised its highly automated production. 

During test drives, Italian travel vlogger Michele Ponte described Deepal vehicles as comfortable and said their larger models could appeal to U.S. buyers.