The launch ceremony for the construction of a NEV industrial park is held at Changchun International Auto City in Lyuyuan district in Changchun on Aug 18. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

With a total investment of 1.2 billion yuan ($173.16 million), a new energy vehicle (NEV) industrial park broke ground on Aug 18 at Changchun International Auto City in Lyuyuan district in Changchun, capital city of Northeast China's Jilin province, according to local officials.

They said that as one of the first batch of projects to settle at the auto city, the NEV industrial park project covers an area of 260,000 square meters, with a total planned construction area of about 230,000 sq m.

Apart from the construction of workshops, roads, greening and other related projects, a series of factories for NEV components will be built. Officials said the new industrial park will be used to attract more NEV industry firms to settle there and help form a NEV industry supply and production chain, and an advanced manufacturing cluster.

Construction vehicles are ready to start working on Aug 18. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

At the same time, officials added that the industrial park will be developed as an independent NEV innovation research and development production base, and an industrial demonstration park.

This will integrate scientific and technological innovation, production and manufacturing, modern logistics, international business, information exchanges and comprehensive services.

The industrial park is scheduled to be completed and open in 2022. Officials said that, at present, many companies have contacted the project construction units to prepare to settle in.

Officials said that once the project ramps up to full production capacity, it will provide a large number of employment opportunities, drive the development of related upstream and downstream industries, promote the development of a new-energy intelligent manufacturing industry -- and promote the overall transformation and upgrading of the automotive industry in the region.