Changan, a prominent independent Chinese automaker, recently celebrated a monumental achievement as its 30 millionth vehicle rolled off the production line on December 9. This milestone, reached over nearly 40 years since the company’s inception in the automotive industry back in 1983, solidifies Changan’s position as a trailblazer among its domestic competitors. Remarkably, the journey from 20 million to 30 million vehicles took Changan precisely four years, showcasing a significant acceleration in its production prowess.
Changan’s Expanding Portfolio and Strategic Vision
Changan currently operates with five distinct sub-brands: Avatr, Nevo, Deepal, Changan, and Kaicheng. These brands cater to various segments of the automotive market, demonstrating the company’s broad strategic reach.
A significant reorganization on July 29 saw the official establishment of China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. as a state-owned enterprise, directly managed by China’s central government alongside automotive giants FAW and Dongfeng. Chairman Zhu Huarong outlined an ambitious vision for the company, targeting a production and sales volume of 5 million vehicles by 2030. Within this projection, new energy vehicles (NEVs) are expected to comprise over 60% of sales, with international markets accounting for more than 30%.
A Competitive Landscape
While Changan marks this impressive achievement, other domestic players have also reached similar milestones. Joint ventures such as SAIC-GM-Wuling (SGMW) and FAW-Volkswagen hit the 30 million vehicle mark earlier this year. For context, FAW-Volkswagen took 34 years to achieve this, while Volkswagen globally needed 46 years, underscoring Changan’s accelerated pace in recent years.
November Sales Performance and Future Outlook
November proved to be a strong month for Changan, with total vehicle sales reaching 283,000 units, a 2.3% increase year-on-year. New energy vehicle sales were particularly robust, climbing 23% year-on-year to 125,000 units. International sales also saw significant growth, increasing by 47% to 55,000 vehicles.
Despite these strong numbers, Changan’s NEV exports in November were 4,189 units, placing it 11th among NEV exporters and trailing behind emerging startups like Xpeng and Leapmotor.
Looking ahead, Changan unveiled ambitious plans at the 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show. The automaker intends to launch over 50 NEV models by 2030. Each of these new models will incorporate Changan’s cutting-edge Tianshu intelligent architecture, spanning various vehicle categories from entry-level SUVs to mid-to-large MPVs and rugged off-road vehicles.
Individually, Changan’s sub-brands reported strong sales last month: Avatr sold 14,057 vehicles, Deepal moved 33,060 units, and Nevo achieved 46,909 sales. Deepal has already reached a cumulative delivery of 700,000 vehicles, further highlighting the rapid expansion and increasing consumer adoption of Changan’s diverse EV lineup.
