Changzhou常州
Tier 3 - Medium CityA tier-3 city that bet big on the new energy vehicle supply chain and won. Changzhou's transformation into "New Energy Capital" is a textbook case of lower-tier city industrial upgrading.
GDP
$115B
2023
Population
5.35M
residents
Industry Output
¥500B
all sectors combined
Sectors Active
3
frontier tech sectors
Key Facts
- Produces 1 in every 6 NEVs sold in China
- Complete NEV supply chain from battery materials to finished vehicles
- CATL, BYD, and Li Auto all have major production bases here
- Branded itself "New Energy Capital" (新能源之都)
Manufacturing Sectors
Batteries & Energy Storage
电池与储能
Complete NEV battery supply chain from materials to packs
New Energy (Solar, Hydrogen)
新能源
Solar cell/module manufacturing, energy storage systems
EVs & NEVs
新能源汽车
NEV assembly (Li Auto, BYD), complete supply chain
Major Companies
CATL (Changzhou)
宁德时代(常州)
CATL's major battery production base in Changzhou, part of the "New Energy Capital" cluster.
Founded 2011
Extended-range EV maker with primary manufacturing in Changzhou, known for family-oriented SUVs.
Founded 2015
One of the world's largest solar panel manufacturers, headquartered in Changzhou with global module shipments exceeding 65 GW.
Founded 1997
History & Context
Changzhou was a traditional manufacturing city known for textiles and machinery. In the 2010s, the city government made a strategic decision to pursue the NEV supply chain. By offering land, tax breaks, and streamlined approvals, Changzhou attracted CATL's battery production, BYD's vehicle assembly, and hundreds of component suppliers. By 2023, the city had built a complete NEV supply chain with over 3,000 companies. This transformation made Changzhou a model for how tier-3 cities can leapfrog into advanced manufacturing.