The collaborative landscape of the new energy vehicle industry chain has gained another significant player. On January 14, the Era Changan Power Battery project, a joint venture between Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL) and Chongqing Changan Automobile Company Limited (Changan Auto), was officially signed in Chongqing, marking the establishment of a production base with a total investment of 5.5 billion yuan in the Beibei section of the Sichuan-Chongqing Gaozhu New Area.
This signing is not only a crucial step for the two industry leaders to deepen their strategic synergy but is also set to strengthen the core component production capacity for new energy vehicles in the Chengdu-Chongqing region, injecting fresh momentum into the cross-provincial industrial cooperation of the Sichuan-Chongqing Gaozhu New Area.
It is understood that the Era Changan Power Battery project will be primarily invested in and constructed by Era Changan Power Battery Co., Ltd., the joint venture established by CATL and Changan Auto. Located in the Beibei section of the Sichuan-Chongqing Gaozhu New Area, the project is planned to cover approximately 1,000 acres, with its core construction being a 25GWh power battery production base.
Positioned as a "technologically advanced supporting base for new energy power batteries," the project will fully incorporate CATL's latest generation of battery manufacturing processes, known for their leading performance and iterative compatibility. Upon operation, it will precisely meet the power battery requirements for Changan Auto's core new energy brands, including Avatr, Deepal, and Qiyuan, achieving a closed-loop layout for the localized supply of core components.
From the perspective of project timeline and economic benefits, site leveling work at the chosen location has already been completed. Construction is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, with production starting in the second half of 2027. Full production capacity is targeted to be reached within three years after operations begin.
According to the plan, at full capacity, the project is expected to generate an annual output value of approximately 10 billion yuan, contribute around 300 million yuan in comprehensive annual taxes, and directly create jobs for about 2,500 people. It will also indirectly stimulate the synergistic development of upstream and downstream supporting industries such as materials, equipment, and logistics, demonstrating significant industrial ripple effects.
The Sichuan-Chongqing Gaozhu New Area, where the project is located, serves as a crucial platform for industrial collaboration as the nation's only cross-provincial jointly developed new area. Following administrative adjustments in Chongqing, Beibei District has been upgraded from a traditional "urban hinterland" to a northern gateway of Chongqing's central urban area. Leveraging its solid industrial foundation in automotive parts and intelligent equipment, it will form an efficient synergy with the power battery project, aiding in the construction of a complete new energy vehicle industry chain encompassing "R&D - production - supporting industries - end products."
It is reported that the establishment of this project will provide mutual benefits in terms of factor endowment guarantees within the Sichuan-Chongqing region. Furthermore, by capitalizing on Chongqing's advantageous conditions in logistics, market access, and industrial clusters for new energy vehicle production, it will help further refine Chongqing's intelligent connected new energy vehicle industry chain, supporting the city's ambition to build a globally influential hub for intelligent connected new energy vehicles.
The signing of the Era Changan Power Battery project, along with the establishment of the new company, collectively indicates that CATL is deeply integrating into the new energy vehicle industry chain of the Chengdu-Chongqing region through a dual-track approach involving both capital and physical project investments.