Chongqing- As one of China’s leading automobile manufacturing bases, Chongqing is accelerating the development of new energy vehicles (NEVs) and expanding into foreign markets.

Statistics show that the output of Chongqing-made NEV in 2022 is expected to reach 369,000 units, up 142.5% year-on-year, thanks to a complete industrial chain, improved product quality, and stable supply chains.

Increasing overseas sales of self-independent brands

“We are busy going abroad to negotiate with our partners,” said Li Yuanxing, the regional manager of Changan International Corporation (CIC), who has returned to Chongqing from a business trip. “I will visit Saudi Arabia and the Philippines soon.”

Last year, CIC received increasing orders. Its overseas sales of self-independent brands achieve 169,800 cars, up 48.8% year-on-year, and the NEV sales of self-independent brands achieve 271,200 cars, up 150.06% year-on-year.

“With the improvement of our NEV technology, customers are updating their impressions of our products, and many partners now place NEV orders,” said Li.

Changan Automobile will accelerate building overseas bases and seek opportunities in European and American markets. The headquarters in Europe will be put into operation this year.

SERES 5 at Brussels Auto Show. (Photo/ SERES)

Another Chongqing NEV automaker SERES recently debuted its new model SERES 5, at Brussels Auto Show. It has signed cooperation contracts with over 20 overseas partners, receiving orders of over 20,000 units.

As introduced by Kirsch, executive vice board chairman of Bosch Group, the significant growth of the Chinese market and manufacturers impressed the auto industry, and more brands entered the European market with advanced technology and humanized products. SERES is undoubtedly the leading one following the trend.  

By 2022, SERES has cumulatively exported nearly 500,000 units covering 70 overseas markets.

200 Maple 60s NEVs of Livan Auto were exported to Chile lately. “South America is one of the NEV markets with the most potential for development. And Chile, as the key economy in South America, is with large growth of NEV sales,” said Lou Yuanfa, the board chairman of Livan Auto. Livan will start the construction of a battery-swapping station in Chile in the first quarter of this year.

China’s largest solid-state battery manufacturing base

Chinese most extensive solid-state battery manufacturing base Ganfeng Lithium is busy constructing in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, which covers nearly 1,000 mu. The project will also build a world-leading solid-state research center and inspection center, bringing in over 800 talents and increasing over 3,000 job opportunities.

As the world’s leading lithium eco-enterprise, Ganfeng Lithium’s business covers upstream lithium resource development, midstream lithium salt deep processing and lithium metal smelt, to downstream lithium battery manufacturing and battery recycling. 

Their products are widely used in electric vehicles, energy storage, consumer electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, etc. The company’s lithium resources are located in many countries and regions worldwide.

The operation of the solid-state battery manufacturing base will complete the power battery layout for Chongqing’s NEV industry chain and further accelerate the upgrading of NEV.

Rendering of solid-state battery manufacturing base. (Photo/Liangjiang New Area)