In 2023, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile demonstrated a robust market performance, with sales and profitability surpassing the industry average.

The company achieved steady growth in the two major areas of new energy vehicles and overseas expansion. Furthermore, Changan Automobile enhanced its competitiveness by seeking external collaborations in the fields of automotive intelligence and battery swapping technologies, addressing any shortcomings.

Photo credit: Changan Auto

ZXZC conducted an annual review of key automakers and component companies. In this article, we will retrospectively examine the notable milestones and accomplishments that took place for Changan Automobile in 2023.

Changan Automobile posts 8.82% YoY rise in 2023 annual auto sales

Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile") reported an annual sales volume of 2,553,052 vehicles in 2023, representing an 8.82% rise year-on-year, according to the company’s announcement on January 9.

Changan DEEPAL delivers 136,912 vehicles in 2023

In December 2023, DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle brand, achieved a delivery volume of 18,338 vehicles, marking a 13.5% month-on-month increase and an outstanding 57.4% year-on-year surge, as the company disclosed on January 2.

Changan Auto, Ganfeng Lithium forge partnership to boost R&D of solid-state batteries

In a dedicated effort to advance the Project Shangri-La New Energy Development Plan and refine its industrial layout, Changan Automobile officially signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with Ganfeng Lithium, one of the world's top producers of the commodity used in electric vehicle, on December 22 in Ningbo city, Zhejiang province. This collaboration aims to accelerate the transformation of Changan Automobile into a leading intelligent, low-carbon mobility technology company.

Changan NEVO Q05 hits market, starting at 119,900 yuan

Changan NEVO officially put its inaugural plug-in hybrid electric SUV, the Q05, onto the market on December 12, with a price range of 119,900 yuan to 149,900 yuan.

AVATR 12 commences delivery nationwide

On December 10, AVATR announced the nationwide delivery launch of the AVATR 12, arriving gradually in 40 cities across 19 provinces in China.

Changan Automobile’s Zhu Huarong assumes chairman of AVATR Technology

AVATR Technology, the premium new energy vehicle company jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced on December 12 that Changan Automobile's Party Secretary and Chairman, Zhu Huarong, assumes the role of Chairman at AVATR Technology.

Changan DEEPAL’s S07, L07 right-hand drive models hit Thai market

On November 29, Changan Automobile saw its DEEPAL S07 and DEEPAL L07 right-hand drive models officially hit the Thai market at the 40th Thailand International Motor Expo.

Changan Automobile’s Deepal brand targets annual global sales of 450,000 units by 2024

Emphasizing a strong commitment to global growth, Deepal, the new energy vehicle (NEV) brand under Changan Automobile, plans to launch two all-new models next year, targeting a global annual sales volume of 450,000 vehicles by 2024, Deepal's CEO, Deng Chenghao, announced on Nov. 27 via his Weibo account.

Changan Automobile releases brand strategy for Southeast Asian markets

On Nov. 27th, Changan Automobile held a brand launch event in Bangkok, Thailand, marking its determined business expansion in the Southeast Asian markets.

First Changan ‘Golden Shield’ standard cell rolls off line

On November 24, Changan Automobile saw the first standard cell under the "Golden Shield" ("Jin Zhong Zhao" in Chinese Pinyin) brand roll off the production line at the factory of CATL-Changan EV Battery Co., Ltd. ("CCEC"), marking a swift progression following the automaker's unveiling of its new battery plan and the Golden Shield battery brand at the Auto Guangzhou 2023.

Changan Automobile intends to invest in Huawei’s future new company dedicated to IAS business

On November 25, Changan Automobile and Huawei signed an "Investment Cooperation Memorandum", under which Huawei is set to establish a new company, focusing on the R&D, production, sales, and services of intelligent driving systems and incremental components for intelligent connected vehicles (ICVs).

NIO, Changan Auto join forces to develop battery swap-related business

On November 21, Changan Auto and NIO signed a cooperative agreement in Chongqing city on battery swap-related businesses. This groundbreaking collaboration aims to establish battery swap standards, facilitate the construction and sharing of battery swap networks, engage in joint R&D of battery-swap-enabled vehicle models, and implement an efficient battery asset management system.

Changan Auto launches battery-dedicated development plan at Auto Guangzhou 2023

The 21st Guangzhou International Automobile Exhibition, which was inaugurated on November 17, 2023, witnessed a significant stride as Changan Auto unveiled its battery business development plan, marking a solid step towards transforming into a technology company for intelligent and low-carbon mobility under the Shangri-La Plan dedicated to new energy vehicle business.

AVATR 12 hits market, starting at 300,800 yuan

On November 10, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, officially inaugurate the global market launch of its intelligent luxury sedan, the AVATR 12.

Changan Automobile breaks ground on manufacturing base in Thailand

On November 8, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile held a groundbreaking ceremony for its Thailand manufacturing base in Rayong, Thailand.

Changan Mazda, ThunderSoft partner for intelligent cockpit innovation

On November 6, Changan Mazda announced a strategic partnership with ThunderSoft, a Chinese software company specializing in intelligent cockpits and smart connectivity solutions.

Changan Automobile boasts 113.9% YoY soar in Q3 net profit

Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) released impressive performance report for the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 with an operating revenue of 42.714 billion yuan, marking a substantial 48.43% surge year-on-year.

Changan Mazda, TINNOVE co-build Human Factors Engineering lab

On October 23, Changan Mazda Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Mazda) and TINNOVE (Phoenix Auto Intelligence Co., Ltd.) inked a strategic cooperation agreement, setting the stage for deep collaboration in various areas, including big data applications and in-car app development.

AVATR starts launching HD map-free NCA application

AVATR, the new energy vehicle brand jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced on Monday the gradual roll out of its map-free Navigation Cruise Assistance (NCA), an advanced smart driving system that operates independently of high-definition maps, enabling nationwide accessibility.

Klaus Zyciora joins Changan Automobile as Vice President, Global Design Head

On October 7, Chinese legacy automaker Changan Automobile announced the appointment of Klaus Zyciora as Vice President with a specific focus on global design.

Changan Automobile expands presence in Thai market

On September 25, as part of its internationalization strategy, Chinese automaker Changan Automobile held a signing ceremony with its Thai dealers and an executive study camp at its Global R&D Center.

Changan Deepal achieves cumulative sales of over 100,000 units

On September 22, Deepal, the new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, announced its cumulative sales have surpassed 100,000 units in just 14 months after the launch of its first model.

Changan Automobile unveils latest achievements in smart digitalized vehicle segment

Changan Automobile, the renowned Chinese legacy automaker, hosted the "2023 Changan Auto Tech Ecosystem Summit" and introduced the results of the company’s leap into smart mobility.

Changan Automobile’s net profit surges 30.65% YoY in H1 2023

Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Company Limited (Changan Automobile) saw a double-digit year-on-year growth in both semi-annual revenue and net profit, according to its report released on August 30.

AVATR 12 makes global debut at IAA MOBILITY 2023

On September 5, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, officially unveiled its the luxurious AVATR 12 sedan at the IAA MOBILITY 2023.

AVATR raises 3 billion yuan in B round financing

On August 31, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced the successful completion of its B round financing with 3 billion yuan secured.

Changan launches ‘Qiyuan’ new energy vehicle brand

On August 27, Changan Automobile officially launched the "Qiyuan" brand new energy vehicle (NEV) brand, completing the automaker's NEV layout alongside the existing Deepal and AVATR brands.

AVATR to be the first auto brand to carry CATL’s Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery

On August 16, AVATR, the premium new energy vehicle brand jointly developed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, has emerged as the first automotive brand to integrate CATL's game-changing Shenxing Superfast Charging Battery into its lineup.

Changan Automobile, Baidu inaugurate joint AI data center

On August 16, Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) and Baidu formed an in-depth partnership targeting such fields as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Changan DEEPAL inks cooperation agreement with Huawei

DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's dedicated new energy vehicle brand, announced on August 16 a significant partnership with Huawei, solidifying its commitment to technological innovation.

Changan Ford plans to build joint venture with Changan Automobile for new energy vehicles

On August 11, China’s Anti-Monopoly Enforcement Bureau of the State Administration for Market Regulation has revealed that Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Ford") intends to establish a new joint venture with Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile").

Changan Ford takes over operations of Ford Mustang Mach-E in China

On the first day of August, Changan Ford, the joint venture between Changan Automobile and Ford Motor Company in China, announced the official takeover of the operation of Ford Mustang Mach-E in the Chinese market, starting the same day.

Changan Automobile deepens cooperation with Tencent on multiple fronts

On July 11, Changan Automobile and Tencent signed an agreement to deepen their strategic cooperation. The two sides will strengthen their partnership in multiple areas to jointly promote higher quality digital transformation and help Changan Automobile expand overseas markets.

Changan DEEPAL discloses plans to enter ASEAN, Europe markets

On June 30, DEEPAL, Changan Automobile's new energy vehicle brand, held a brand strategy launch event and the large-scale delivery ceremony of the DEEPAL S7.

CATL, Changan Auto’s joint venture established for battery production, sales

According to Qichacha, a Chinese corporate database, CATL Changan Power Battery Co., Ltd. (referred to as “CATL Changan”) was incorporated on Jun. 28 with a registered capital of 1.5 billion yuan.

Changan's DEEPAL sets up joint venture with StarPower Semiconductor

DEEPAL, the new energy vehicle brand under Changan Automobile, recently announced the establishment of a new joint venture with StarPower Semiconductor.

Changan Automobile plans to enter European markets in 2024

Chinese legacy automaker Changan Automobile recently disclosed during an investor inquiry session its accelerated strategic plan to expand into five major regional markets, including Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Changan Automobile, Geely Holding forge strategic partnership

Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. ("Changan Automobile") and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (“Geely Holding”) signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on May 9.

Changan Automobile boasts 53.65% YoY surge in Q1 2023 net profit attributable to shareholders

On April 27, Chinese major automaker Chongqing Changan Automobile Co., Ltd. (Changan Automobile) released its financial report for the first quarter of 2023, which showed a two-digit year-on-year soar in net profit attributable to shareholders.

Changan Lamore becomes first mass-produced model to carry Baidu’s ERNIE Bot

On March 16, Changan Automobile announced that its Changan Lamore (Yida) sedan will be the first mass-produced model in China to carry Baidu's ERNIE Bot AI technology.

AVATR forms comprehensive cooperation with Huawei for cloud services

On March 23, AVATR, the new energy vehicle maker backed by Changan Automobile, Huawei, and CATL, announced it inked a cooperation agreement with Huawei Software Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Software) for cloud services.