Tang Chao speaks at the China NEV Development High-Level Forum 2022. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
The China New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Development High-Level Forum 2022 opened on Sept 23 in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). A total of 16 academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering were invited to give suggestions on Hubei's NEV and intelligent connected vehicle (ICV) development.
As a national automobile manufacturing hub, Hubei province boasts complete auto industrial chains, and R&D and production capacity for three types of cars – pure electric vehicles, hybrid power vehicles, and fuel vehicles – as well as research capacity for auto batteries, motors and electric control systems. The next-generation auto-making industrial ecosystem is currently taking shape in Hubei.
In 2021, Wuhan registered 334.5 billion yuan ($46.93 billion) in output in its automobile and auto spare part sector, accounting for 50 percent of Hubei's total and ranking first in Central China and sixth in the nation. As a core area for the province in the development of its one-trillion-yuan automobile industry, Wuhan is currently home to 12 car makers, as well as about 1,000 auto component suppliers.
Tang Chao, director of WEDZ's administrative committee, said that after 31 years of development, the zone's auto business landscape has been expanding, and about three fourths of car manufacturers and half of automobile spare part producers in Wuhan have gathered in the zone, which has contributed over two thirds of the city's automobile output. These achievements have made WEDZ the auto valley of China.
At a symposium held on the same day, experts said they believe that there is still some improvement space for the zone, especially in NEV development, auto industrial resilience and innovation.
Zhang Qingjie, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and professor at Wuhan University of Technology, suggested that the zone promotes solid progress in the NEV sector, and continues to develop lithium batteries and hydrogen fuel cells simultaneously.
Zhang Qingjie speaks at the China NEV Development High-Level Forum 2022. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
