Liangjiang NEVer pioneers green manufacturing

Inside the Seres super factory in Liangjiang New Area, a banner reads: Green transformation is both a challenge and a driving force for progress. The slogan captures the ethos of Seres, a Fortune China 500 new energy vehicle manufacturer.

While electric vehicles are cleaner to drive, their production generates 40 percent more carbon emissions compared to a fuel-powered car of the same class. Seres is working to cut emissions across every stage of production. Its life-cycle carbon management platform tracks each vehicle from raw materials to recycling, making reductions measurable and transparent.

On the factory's rooftops, solar panels provide over 30 percent of the electricity supply. With distributed stations set to reach 173 megawatts, annual output is expected to hit 170 million kilowatt-hours, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 140,000 metric tons.

Solar panels provide over 30 percent of electricity for Seres factory. [Photo by Seres]

Decarbonization is embedded in manufacturing. Workshops recycle heat, deploy VOC treatment systems for air pollution, and employ servo presses with smart controls to cut power waste. Swap trailer transport, containers-as-warehouses model, and 18 unmanned electric heavy trucks are decarbonizing logistics for auto parts.                                                                                                                                                                   

Battery giant CATL'S Chongqing base, located next to the Seres factory, supplies packs in real time, slashing both costs and emissions. "What once took hours or days in transit now takes minutes," said a Seres supply chain executive. 

The lightweighting efforts earned AITO M8 and M9 China's top low-carbon product label. M9's integrated die-casting design cut 212 parts and 1,440 connection points, lowering its lightweight coefficient to a sector-leading 2.02 and reducing energy consumption.

The decarbonization strategy is paying off. In 2024, Seres became the world's fourth profitable NEV maker. Annual sales hit 426,900 units, revenue rose to 145.2 billion yuan ($20.36 billion), and AITO M9 led China's luxury SUV market above 500,000 yuan. Cumulative AITO deliveries have topped 750,000 units, according to the company's news conference on Aug 25.

AITO M9 leads China's luxury SUV market above 500,000 yuan. [Photo by Seres]

The company aims to cut carbon emissions per unit of output by 38 percent from 2022 levels by 2030, and to achieve carbon-neutral production by 2045.