Changan Automobile’s Brazil Plant Officially Begins Production, Accelerating Globalization Initiative “Embracing All Rivers”

On March 26, Beijing time, Changan Automobile, together with its partner CAOA Group, ushered in a new chapter for Brazil’s automotive industry: the highly automated production line in Anápolis was officially completed and put into operation. Chinese Ambassador to Brazil Zhu Qingqiao attended the event alongside Brazilian President Lula, Vice President Alckmin, the Mayor of Anápolis, and other dignitaries, jointly witnessing this momentous occasion.
At the commissioning ceremony, Brazilian President Lula highly commended Changan Automobile’s corporate strength and its commitment to localizing operations, stating: “China is Brazil’s best partner. The Changan Automobile plant in Brazil is creating jobs and improving the lives of local residents, thereby playing a positive role in advancing Brazil’s reindustrialization process.”

At the event, the first Brazil-made Changan UNI-T (specifications & price inquiry) rolled off the production line. This model was specifically developed by Changan for the Brazilian market and is powered by an advanced 1.5-liter Turbo GDi BlueCore Flex dual-fuel engine. The initial phase of Changan Auto’s Brazilian plant is slated to produce three models, covering a range of powertrains including gasoline, hybrid, and plug-in hybrid. All vehicles in the lineup will be equipped with flex-fuel engines that can run on gasoline, ethanol, or any blend thereof, fully meeting Brazil’s local demand for ethanol as the primary fuel source.

Brazil is the strategic cornerstone of Changan Automobile’s global expansion. The newly commissioned Brazilian plant represents a significant step in Changan’s transition from “product export” to “industrial overseas presence,” fostering the integration of automotive industry resources and technological synergy between China and Brazil. At the same time, by creating jobs and boosting the development of the local industrial chain, the project strengthens the bonds of friendship between the two countries and ensures that the benefits of China–Brazil cooperation reach a broader segment of the Latin American population.

This model is reshaping the path for Chinese automakers’ global expansion—moving beyond a mere product-export approach to one underpinned by technology, systems, and brands that fosters deep integration with local industries and builds a more stable, sustainable development ecosystem. Changan Automobile has set a replicable benchmark for other Chinese automotive brands seeking to expand into overseas markets, while also offering a new “Chinese solution” for global automotive industry cooperation.
Zhu Huarong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Changan Automobile, stated: “Brazil is not only a hotbed for investment but also a strategic stronghold where Changan Automobile is committed to pursuing a long-term, sustainable development approach. Changan Automobile will adhere to an integrated development philosophy that emphasizes long-term commitment, localisation, systemic integration, and ESG excellence, firmly establishing itself in Brazil and serving the broader Latin American market by bringing globally leading new-energy and intelligent technologies to Latin America.”

According to the plan, Changan Automobile will leverage its Brazilian plant to develop a full lineup of hybrid and electrified vehicles based on dual-fuel and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies. The company will further strengthen its local supply chain and R&D capabilities, share green development solutions, and collaborate with all sectors in Brazil to build a low-carbon, inclusive transportation ecosystem. At the same time, Changan Automobile will drive the upgrading of Brazil’s automotive industry across its supply, innovation, and capital chains, helping the country achieve its goals of electrification, localization, and globalization in the automotive sector. This initiative will also facilitate a comprehensive shift for Chinese automakers—from “product export” to “export of brands, manufacturing, and services.”
Since launching its global expansion in 1991, Changan Automobile has progressively established a worldwide R&D network spanning six countries and ten locations. The “Hainabachuan” global strategy unveiled in 2023 is anchored in China while synergizing with five major overseas regional markets to create an integrated, globally aligned development framework. As the first Tier-1 state-owned enterprise to establish operations in Chongqing, Changan Automobile has actively aligned itself with the city’s “33618” modern manufacturing cluster system and has consistently supported the “Chongqing Cars Go Global” initiative, exporting vehicles manufactured in Chongqing to 118 countries and regions worldwide. Taking Avatr as an example, since commencing its overseas rollout in 2024, the brand has entered 40 countries and regions, with its premium positioning earning recognition from customers around the globe. In 2025, Changan Automobile’s overseas sales are projected at 637,000 units, up 19% year on year, accounting for more than 20% of its total annual sales of 2.913 million units and serving as a key driver of overall growth.

Currently, Changan Automobile has established a global manufacturing footprint comprising 76 plants. With the commissioning of its Brazilian plant, Changan will achieve regional complementarity and global synergy with its other overseas facilities, further advancing the implementation of its “Embracing All Rivers” strategy. Looking ahead, Changan will focus on realizing its “Four Ones” objectives and its “152” global expansion plan, elevating its five major overseas regional markets to a strategic level of equal importance to the Chinese market and accelerating its journey toward becoming a world-class automotive brand.

Reposted from Sina Auto

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