During the first 10 months of this year, Liangjiang New Area in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality produced 550,000 vehicles with an output value of over 100 billion yuan ($15.18 billion).
Currently, Liangjiang has 10 vehicle enterprises, over 200 auto parts companies and a bunch of R&D companies. Among which, Changan Auto sold 1.58 million vehicles during the first 10 months of the year, an increase of 14.1 percent year-on-year, with a market share of 8 percent in the same period.
Changan Ford Automobile Co achieved a total output volume of 171,000 vehicles with an output value of 28.25 billion yuan, year-on-year increases of 20 percent and 78 percent, respectively.
From January to October, Liangjiang produced 20,443 new energy vehicles and 350,000 intelligent connected vehicles, occupying 60 percent of Chongqing's total volume.
Liangjiang strives to improve the level of technological innovation while promoting the development of the automotive industry.
So far, Changan Auto has over 200 intelligent technologies covering intelligent interaction, intelligent driving and intelligent internet connection. Seventy of these smart innovations have been applied in produced vehicles, including 21 vehicles that have debuted in China.
Chongqing Pingwei Auto Science & Technology Co has invested over 100 million yuan in R&D since the beginning of this year, occupying 4 percent of its revenue. During the first 10 months of this year, the company applied for 61 patents, including seven patents for innovation. A total of 82 patents were granted.
With the efforts in developing R&D, the company has achieved significant breakthroughs in lightweight and intelligent products. Its design and manufacturing technology for aluminum alloy dies for vehicle bodies ranks first in China. Meanwhile, its shaping technologies – including cold stamping of ultra-high-strength steel – have broken the international technological blockade.
John Edwards, the UK trade commissioner for China, praised Chongqing over its rise as a burgeoning center in intelligent manufacturing.