During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, Chongqing accelerated the construction of a national advanced manufacturing center and a nationally influential technological innovation hub, vigorously developing a green, low-carbon economy. Production of intelligent connected new energy vehicles grew from 43,000 units in 2020 to 953,000 units in 2024, ranking among the top tier nationally; industrial added value increased from 699.1 billion yuan to 891.2 billion yuan; it became the first city in central and western China with an economic output exceeding 3 trillion yuan; per capita GDP surpassed 100,000 yuan.
Over the past five years, Chongqing has maintained steady progress in high-quality development, with vibrant vitality and unlimited potential across the region.
Leading Industrial Innovation Through Technological Innovation
On October 8th, Seres announced that from January to September this year, cumulative sales of Seres new energy vehicles exceeded 300,000 units, showing robust growth momentum. The AITO series achieved cumulative deliveries exceeding 800,000 units, setting new records for delivery speed in China’s new energy luxury vehicle segment.
From an unknown spring factory to the world’s fourth profitable new energy vehicle enterprise—tracing Seres’ rise reveals that technological innovation has been the key factor.
Looking back to 2020, eight months after Seres launched its first new energy vehicle SF5, the market response remained muted. By 2021, cumulative sales of SF5 over two years were less than 1,000 units, ranking outside the top 100 among national new energy vehicle brands.
At that time, new technologies and features like autonomous driving and smart cockpits were emerging, while SF5 remained merely a traditional “electric car” lacking advanced technology.
After serious reflection, in April 2021, Seres partnered with Huawei to embark on a new journey of technological innovation.
Leveraging their respective technological strengths, the two companies successively launched AITO M5, M7, M8, M9 models, achieving great success. The AITO M9, which leads domestic luxury vehicle sales in the over-500,000 yuan segment, adopts globally leading 9000T mega-casting technology that enhances overall body rigidity, strength, and safety performance.
In terms of intelligence, its assisted driving functionality using the DE-i3.0 platform can accurately identify over 900 driving scenarios and adjust the power system accordingly, providing consumers with a more comfortable driving experience.
For power systems, the new Seres super range-extending system reduces comprehensive fuel consumption by 15%, decreases noise perception frequency by 90%, and achieves thermal efficiency of 44.8%, ranking among industry leaders.
Technological innovation drives industrial innovation, with “new automobiles” achieving five major transformations including smart electrification, digital space, and intelligent connectivity. Seres is advancing automotive intelligence and safety to higher levels through cross-border cooperation and technological innovation.
The practice of leading industrial innovation through technological innovation and cultivating new quality productive forces according to local conditions continues to unfold in Chongqing, accelerating the construction of an intelligent connected new energy vehicle capital—
At Changan, the new Blue Whale power technology achieves the world’s first comprehensive full-scenario power solution, while the “Golden Bell Cover” battery technology enhances battery safety to more than double national standards;
At Qingling, hydrogen power technology breakthroughs have enabled China’s first cross-provincial highway real-load testing of hydrogen trucks, with hundreds of hydrogen logistics vehicles already deployed in Chongqing and Sichuan…
Beyond the automotive industry’s rapid rise, technological innovation as the primary driver of high-quality development is propelling the formation of Chongqing’s “33618” modern manufacturing cluster system.
Currently, Chongqing’s laptop computer production has ranked first globally for 11 consecutive years, wafer production capacity has doubled compared to 2020, flexible display industry scale ranks among the top five nationally, and the new-generation electronic information manufacturing industry maintains steady progress.
Chongqing has built the world’s largest spandex monomer installation and adipic acid production base, broken international monopolies in the nylon 66 full industry chain, achieved western China’s largest and China’s third-largest fiberglass production capacity, successfully developed the nation’s first independently-branded aluminum alloy automotive sheet, and incorporated Kunlun Glass in domestic high-end smartphones, advancing the materials industry.
Additionally, Chongqing has upgraded three pillar industries including software information services, with general-purpose engines and micro-tillers accounting for 40% and 70% of national production respectively. Brands like Cool Magic, Chongqing Beer, and Fuling Pickle have been selected among China’s first consumer famous products, while the software information industry scale has entered the national first tier.
