A NEV in Liuzhou. [Photo by Lin Xin/China News Service]

Liuzhou, an emerging automobile city in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, saw the production of 482,000 new energy vehicles in 2021, accounting for one seventh of China's total, officials announced during the Second Session of the 15th Liuzhou Municipal People's Congress on Jan 11.

Liuzhou is an important industrial town in southwest China and is one of China's five automobile cities. It is home to four automobile companies, namely SAIC Motor, Dongfeng Motor, FAW and Sinotruk, as well as hundreds of manufactures of main engines and components.

The automobile production and sale volume in Liuzhou increased 8.2 percent and 4.7 percent year-on-year, respectively, in 2021, both higher than China's average.

SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile is a leading company in Liuzhou producing finished automobiles and has set its sights on the NEV industry, launching several models such as Hongguang MINI EV, Baojun KiWi EV and Wuling Nano EV.

Hongguang MINI EV has sold over 500,000 units to date, and its sales volume in November 2021 reached 45,576 units, meaning it has led China's NEV market for 15 consecutive months. The model was also popular in overseas markets, receiving over 200 institutions from more than 70 countries and regions for consultation.

Liuzhou's NEV development has benefited greatly from the city's efforts in government-company joint promotion and the city has built 4,300 charging facilities.

Statistics from September 2021 showed that 23 out of 100 vehicles running in Liuzhou are NEVs, the highest ratio in China.

Liuzhou officials proposed that the city accelerate the layout of a NEV industrial chain to build a national NEV strategic emerging industrial cluster. They also stated that the production and sales volume of NEVs in Liuzhou is expected to exceed 600,000 units in 2022.