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The story
History
Changan's origins trace to 1862 when Li Hongzhang established the Shanghai Foreign Gun Bureau as a military supply factory. In 1863 it was renamed the Suzhou Arsenal, and by 1865 Li relocated it to Nanjing, where it grew into the largest arsenal in China at the time, known as the Jinling Arsenal. By 1899 the Jinling Arsenal had become a major arms production centre equipped with nearly a thousand machines and employing 1,700 artisans, consolidating its position as one of China's primary military manufacturing hubs. When the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out in 1937 and Nanjing faced imminent threat, the Nationalist government relocated the Jinling Arsenal westward to Chongqing, where it was renamed the 21st Arsenal.
In 1951 the 21st Arsenal was renamed State-Owned Factory 456 under the Central Bureau of Military Industry, aligning it with the administrative framework of the newly established People's Republic of China. In 1959 a predecessor entity, Chongqing Changan Arsenal, began automobile manufacturing under government contract and produced the Changjiang Type 46, China's first domestically manufactured production vehicle. In 1984 Changan entered a new phase by signing a technical cooperation agreement with Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan focused on mini vehicles and engines. On 15 November 1984, the first batch of Changan-branded vehicles — the SC112 mini van and SC110 mini truck — rolled off the production line, marking the company's official transition from a military enterprise to a civilian vehicle manufacturer.
In 2009 Changan acquired two smaller domestic automakers, Hafei and Changhe. In 2013 Changhe was transferred to the Jiangxi provincial government for restructuring, and later became a majority-owned subsidiary of BAIC Group. As of 2010, China Weaponry Equipment was the parent company of Changan, and that year Changan became the fourth-largest car manufacturer in the Chinese automobile industry by selling 2.38 million units. In 2010 Changan also released a new logo for its consumer vehicle range; commercial production retained the former red-arch branding. Changan produced over 2 million vehicles in 2011, placing it fourth among domestic automakers.
In 2012, 72% of production was attributed to passenger vehicles, though this figure likely conflates passenger cars with microvans and light commercial vehicles, which are commercially distinct but sometimes grouped in Chinese industry statistics. In November 2012, Changan Ford Mazda Automobile was divided into two separate joint ventures, Changan Ford and Changan Mazda, as part of Ford's divestment from Mazda. In October 2017 Changan announced plans to end production of vehicles powered solely by internal-combustion engines by 2025, after which it would sell only plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles, citing regulatory pressure and China's commitments under the Paris Agreement. In November 2023 Huawei announced plans to move core technologies from its smart car unit into a new joint venture with Changan. The resulting brand, Avatr Technology, engages in research, development, production, sales, and servicing of intelligent automotive systems and components. Changan and its affiliates hold up to 40% of the new company's equity.
On 9 February 2025, Changan Automobile and Dongfeng Motor both announced they were exploring potential mergers with unnamed state-owned enterprises, sparking speculation that the two groups would be combined with Dongfeng as the dominant partner. On 4 June 2025, both companies announced that merger plans had been abandoned. On 5 June 2025 the State Council announced that the automotive business of China South Industries Group Corporation, namely Changan Automobile, would be spun off as an independent central state-owned enterprise directly under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC). The spin-off formally severed Changan's long-standing ties to its military-industrial background and elevated it to sub-ministerial-level enterprise status. In July 2025, China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. was formally established as a new independent legal entity, becoming the 100th central state-owned enterprise and the third automotive enterprise under SASAC, as well as the first central state-owned enterprise domiciled in Chongqing. The company was registered in Chongqing with registered capital of 20 billion yuan. Zhu Huarong, former president of Changan Automobile, was appointed legal representative and chairman by SASAC. The founding ceremony was held in Chongqing on 29 July 2025.
In June 2026, Changan Automobile and BAIC Group signed a strategic cooperation agreement to jointly develop autonomous driving technologies, pursue joint component procurement, co-develop new vehicle models, and build shared overseas sales channels. The agreement does not involve equity investment by either party.
Changan Ford (2001–present)
Changan Ford was formed in 2001 and initially assembled Ford-branded passenger vehicles from complete knock-down kits. It produces Chinese-market versions of Ford consumer models, with a dealer network that includes outlets in second- and third-tier Chinese cities.
History
In 2012, the company began gradually moving away from outdated designs based on 20th-century Suzuki technology, modernizing its lineup with its own designs. In 2017, Kuayue expanded its lineup to include its first electric vehicles derived from internal combustion models.
From Wikipedia’s article on Changan Automobile, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4