A public charging station in Rugao, Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: rugaofabu]

Two months ago, Rugao hosted the first stop of the 2025 New Energy Vehicles Going to the Countryside campaign, which was jointly organized by five national ministries, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the National Development and Reform Commission.

The event not only transformed rural transportation but also provided Rugao with fresh momentum for development. The city is now quickly expanding its charging infrastructure and advancing its NEV industry strategy.

Rugao has also made solid progress in vehicle trade-in initiatives. The city has replaced 3,521 vehicles, distributed 33.63 million yuan ($4.68 million) in subsidies, and generated 525 million yuan in consumption this year.

To meet surging demand, Rugao has built 62 public charging stations equipped with 356 charging guns. These include 15 fast-charging stations, 37 slow-charging stations, and 10 integrated stations.

"Bringing NEVs to the countryside has strengthened automakers' confidence in moving toward electrification," said Gu Jian, operations director of Yanfeng Plastic Omnium' Rugao branch. He noted that the company's illuminated grille products are now exported globally with monthly shipments of about 30,000 units, while its radar covers, designed with wave-transmission, heating, and defrosting functions, are tailored for smart driving vehicles.

Meanwhile, construction at the China-Switzerland (Rugao) Smart Manufacturing Innovation Park is accelerating. The flagship project, the Scania Rugao plant, is gearing up for production in the fourth quarter. As one of the first fully foreign-owned commercial vehicle ventures in China following the removal of shareholding limits, this will be Scania's third global manufacturing site and the company's most state-of-the-art and sustainable facility worldwide.

In April, Scania also announced the acquisition of Northvolt's industrial production division, marking a major advancement in its electrification efforts.

With policy support, enterprise innovation, and global players joining in, Rugao is rapidly becoming a new powerhouse in China's NEV industry, propelling both green mobility and high-quality development.