Following the completion of this expansion project, the plant's production efficiency has increased by 45 percent and customization capacity has increased by 35 percent, GAC Aion said.

(Image credit: GAC Aion)

GAC Aion, the new energy vehicle (NEV) subsidiary of GAC Group, today announced the completion of its plant expansion project, doubling its standard production capacity to 200,000 vehicles per year.

With the completion of the project, GAC Aion enters a new phase of high-speed, high-quality development, the company said.

GAC Aion's plant currently holds 52 patents covering a wide range of areas including digitalization, new materials and processes, it said.

Upon completion of the project, the plant's productivity increased by 45 percent and its customization capabilities increased by 35 percent, it said.

The plant started production in April 2019, ahead of November 20, 2020, when GAC Aion began independent operations.

In April 2021, GAC Aion announced that it would invest about RMB 500 million to expand the plant's capacity against the backdrop of rapidly growing sales and the launch of a new model, the Aion Y.

In 2021, GAC Aion's first full year of independent operation, the company sold 123,660 units, it said previously.

GAC Aion sold 16,031 units in January, up 117.9 percent from a year earlier and down 3.9 percent from 16,675 units in December, according to figures it released on February 1.

The company's current models on sale include the Aion LX Plus, Aion V Plus, Aion S Plus, Aion S, and Aion Y, covering a price range of RMB 109,600 ($17,200) - 459,600.

On December 31, 2021, GAC Group announced that it agreed to the implementation of the construction project of the second plant of GAC Aion with a planned capacity of 200,000 units per year.

The plant is expected to be put into operation in December 2022, with a total investment month of RMB 1.81 billion.

GAC Aion's model with range of over 1,000 km goes on sale for about $72,000