China’s major auto group, Changan Automobile, logged several prominent milestone moments in 2022. From product, marketing, operation, and development aspects, the automaker has been zealously seizing the everchanging auto market.

Photo credit: Changan Automobile

In the past year, Changan Automobile continued to make moves to strengthen its competitiveness in the new energy and intelligent connected vehicle fields. The company’s two smart new energy vehicle brands, namely AVATR and Shenlan, all have achieved boast-worthy periodical sales results in the past year. Changan Automobile also inaugurated a standalone company, Changan Technology Company, which further signified the automaker’s determination of transforming to a technology-driven enterprise.

ZXZC gathered a list of the noteworthy events of Changan Automobile during the year 2022.

Changan Automobile’s 2022 annual sales volume edges up 1.98% YoY

In the year 2022, Changan Automobile’s annual auto sales amounted to 2,346,151 vehicles in total, edging up 1.98% year on year, the company announced on January 9.

In December 2022, Changan Automobile sold 255,794 vehicles, representing a 38.42% jump from the previous month and a 43.69% surge over the earlier year.

Last year, auto sales of the automaker’s wholly-owned brands summed up to 1,874,569, rising 6.83% year over year. Among which, 169,773 vehicles were sold outside of China, reflecting a 48.83% leap from the year-ago period. Notably, sales of passenger vehicles under its wholly-owned brands amounted to 1,390,387 vehicles, indicating a 15.46% year-on-year increase.

Changan Shenlan delivers over 10,000 SL03 sedans in Dec. 2022

Changan Automobile’s new energy vehicle-dedicated brand, Shenlan, witnessed its monthly deliveries surpass 10,000 vehicles in the last month of 2022, the automaker announced on January 2.

In December 2022, Shenlan delivered 11,650 units of its only production model on the market, the SL03 sedan, indicating a prominent 42% surge month-over-month.

Changan Automobile inaugurates Changan Technology Company

Changan Automobile officially inaugurated Changan Technology Company at its 160th anniversary event on December 25.

The inauguration of Changan Technology Company signifies the automaker’s determination of transforming to a technology-driven enterprise. According to Zhu Huarong, chairman of Changan Automobile, the company plans to pour a total of 200 billion yuan over the next decade to rebrand Changan Automobile. Revolving around Changan Technology Company, the automaker will invest more than 150 billion yuan in the new automobile technology industry chain, build a science and technology innovation team of more than 10,000 staff members, develop a super vehicle intelligent platform, and layout in the controller and other technology segments. 

CATL sets up joint venture with Changan Automobile, deepens cooperation with AVATR

On December 20, Chinese battery giant CATL inked an agreement with automaker Changan Automobile, to set up a joint venture together.

According to CATL, the joint venture will help the two parties to complement their respective advantages, synergize, and create value throughout the relationship. CATL will give full play to its comprehensive innovation ability and core advantages in the power battery R&D, production, manufacturing, after-market service, etc., to help Changan Automobile reinforce its product competitiveness.

Changan Automobile releases ‘Force’ range extension technology brand

On November 30, Chinese auto group Changan Automobile, introduced to the public its new technology brand dubbed Force.

Force is consisted of two parts, namely "Force intelligent range extension" and "Force super integrated electric drive", which can achieve an ultra-long combined range of 1,200km. Currently, the Force technology has been deployed on Changan Automobile’s SL03 sedan, which hit the market in July this year. In addition, the technology will also be installed onto the automaker’s second Shenlan-branded production model, which will be an SUV debuting in 2023.

Changan Shenlan sees 10,000th SL03 roll off production lines

On October 17, China’s major auto group, Changan Automobile, saw the 10,000th Shenlan SL03 new energy vehicle roll off the production lines at its factory in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing city.

Positioned under the automaker’s ambitious new energy vehicle-dedicated brand, Shenlan (meaning "deep blue" in English), the SL03 is the brand’s first battery-electric production model. The SL03 officially hit the market on July 25 this year, meaning that it took the company less than three months to achieve such milestone. The automaker commented that it has already built up the preparations to take on the fourth quarter of 2022, ensuring delivery to users while guaranteeing quality. https://autonews.gasgoo.com/china_news/70020980.html

Changan Automobile sets two automotive intelligence technology projects in Chongqing

On September 28, Changan Automobile inked a strategic cooperation agreement with the local authorities of Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area to set up the automaker’s Changan Technology project and Long-term Intelligence project in the Area.

With a total planned investment of 28.5 billion yuan, the two projects will better support the digital transformation and upgrade of Chongqing's auto industry, accelerate the construction of the local ecosystem for intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry, and help Chongqing build a world-class intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry cluster.

Changan Automobile launches new tech brand ‘Zhuge Intelligence’

Changan Automobile today announced the launch of a new technology brand, dubbed “Zhuge Intelligence” at the automaker's annual technology ecosystem conference.

Under the newborn brand, the company is dedicated to developing three core experiences, namely “Zhuge Interaction”, “Zhuge Intelligent Driving”, and “Zhuge Ecosystem”, so as to endow its new vehicle models with high-level intelligence features.

AVATR to build high-voltage fast-charging network with bp in China

AVATR Technology, the premium new energy vehicle maker backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, announced its long-term strategic partnership with bp to a build high-voltage fast-charging network in China.

Per the cooperation, AVATR and bp plan to establish more than 100 standardized high-voltage fast-charging stations in 19 Chinese cities. The stations should have 480kW of power on average, with a single charging gun delivering a maximum power of 240kW. The duo aims to realize the goal of replenishing 200km of range with a 10-minute charging session. 

AVATR completes Series A round with valuation closing in on RMB10 billion

AVATR Technology, the auto startup backed by Changan Automobile, CATL, and Huawei, announced the completion of its Series A financing round on August 2nd.

The round was led by China’s National Green Development Fund and participated by many institutional investors such as China Merchants Jintai Capital and CITIC New Future Investment. AVATR’s existing shareholders Changan Automobile and China Southern Capital also increased their investment in the auto startup.