State-owned Changan Automobile Co. has established a subsidiary to develop intelligent EVs with two major China companies — technology giant Huawei Technologies and leading battery cell supplier CATL.
The subsidiary, Avatar Technology Co., will operate as an independent business entity.
The new company will partner with Huawei and CATL to create a “world-leading” platform for smart and connected EVs and to build a rich portfolio of smart vehicle products, Changan said Thursday.
Additional details about the subsidiary were not disclosed.
Changan, based in the southwest China municipality of Chongqing, builds and markets sedans, crossovers and minibuses under proprietary brands. It also runs joint ventures with Ford Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. in China.
Changan surpassed Geely Automobile Holdings through April to become the largest domestic Chinese light-vehicle manufacturer, with sales of its own brands more than doubling to approach 474,000, according to the China Automobile Dealers Association.