China’s NEV boom makes Heihe an international cold-weather testing hub

A car undergoes a cold-weather driving test at Geely's Heihe Winter Test Base on February 14, 2025. (Zhang Yashu/GT)

Heihe in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province is one of the country's coldest cities. With enduring extreme temperatures that dip well below -20 C, snow and ice blanket the landscape. Despite the harsh conditions, new-energy vehicles (NEVs) race across the icy roads, undergoing rigorous cold-weather testing.

In recent years, China's automotive industry has experienced rapid growth, increasing demand for high-standard vehicle testing. Heihe, with its unique climate and infrastructure, has emerged as a key global hub for cold-weather vehicle testing.

Situated in a mid-latitude cold zone, Heihe experiences over 200 days of severe winter conditions, with temperatures plummeting as low as -45 C. While this makes the city one of the most challenging places for human habitation, it also creates ideal conditions for testing vehicles under extreme cold.

The city has earned its reputation as the nation's leader in low-temperature testing, offering the most comprehensive road profiles, optimal testing conditions, and robust policy support, according to local officials.

Before 1989, Heihe had no automotive testing industry. Over the past few decades, Heihe has developed into a major testing hub, with 12 testing companies and 24 testing bases. According to People's Daily, more than 230 automotive manufacturers, component suppliers, and research institutions now cooperate in Heihe, generating 170 million yuan ($23.29 million) in direct revenue and an additional 430 million yuan in related industries.

The rapid expansion of Heihe's testing industry is closely linked to China's booming automotive sector, particularly in the NEV sector. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, over 31.28 million vehicles and 12.89 million NEVs were produced in China in 2024, with the massive automotive industry forming the core of Heihe's testing industry growth.

Rigorous testing

From Heihe's bustling downtown streets to its expansive suburban testing facilities, vehicles wrapped with camouflage from global automakers undergo rigorous testing. These tests identify and resolve potential vehicle issues, to guarantee top-tier performance and reliability.

"Cold-weather testing is a crucial part of vehicle research and development," Wang Qingxi, head of Geely's Heihe Winter Test Base, told the Global Times. "It not only reveals design and performance flaws but also provides critical data for product improvements, ensuring that cars are market-ready."

Many of the vehicles passing these tests are built not only for China's domestic market, but also aim for global expansion. Geely, one of China's major automotive brands, exported 403,923 cars in 2024, marking a 53 percent increase compared to the previous year. This surge reflects the growing demand for vehicles that not only meet Chinese market needs but also align with global standards.

Heihe's role as a cold-weather testing center extends beyond Chinese brands. Global automakers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Hyundai also conduct testing in Heihe, said Zhao Xinhong, general manager of Heilongjiang Red Valley Automobile Test Co, a leading player in the city's automotive testing sector.

Cold-weather testing not only pushes the high-quality development of China's automotive industry, but is also an important avenue for increasing global recognition of Chinese automotive standards.

As of November 2024, Heihe's testing grounds had contributed to the establishment of 42 international, national, and industry standards for cold-weather testing, and its data is now recognized in over 40 countries, according to the Heihe municipal government.

The evolving landscape of winter testing serves as a microcosm of the transformation within China's NEV sector—shifting from following global automotive trends to actively contributing to the development of global standards.

"In the past, 70 percent of the vehicles tested in Heihe were from international brands, but now 70 percent are from Chinese automakers," Zhao said.

From follower to leader

China's cold-weather vehicle testing industry has expanded significantly in recent years. However, following over a decade of rapid growth and innovation, it has transitioned from a follower to a global leader in the industry.

In the past, Chinese automakers relied on overseas winter testing. Today, Heihe's advanced facilities meet nearly all domestic cold-weather testing demands, Ji Xu, a testing engineer at Heilongjiang Red Valley Automobile Test Co, told the Global Times.

China's booming NEV sector has fueled demand. In 2018, China exported just 147,000 NEVs, but in 2024, that figure had surpassed 2 million. China has maintained its position as the world's top car exporter for a second consecutive year, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Heihe has intensified investments in advanced infrastructure, driven by heightened testing requirements for autonomous driving technologies, EV battery systems, and thermal management of NEVs under extremely low-temperature and snowy conditions.

In China, several NEV brands have launched intelligent driver assistance technologies, further enhancing the capabilities of their vehicles. These include BYD, Avatr and Tesla. Brands such as Xiaomi and Zeekr are also quickly following suit, ensuring their technologies meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

The city has spent 238 million yuan to build China's first national-level closed autonomous driving test track in a cold region, catering to the increasing need for driver assistance system testing, according to the local government. It has also constructed a 3.2-kilometer intelligent vehicle testing road and is planning an additional 14.4-kilometer section for future demonstrations.

From low-temperature endurance tests to tests of laser radar and visual recognition systems in snowy conditions, Heihe remains at the cutting edge of industry trends, continuously adapting to new testing requirements, Ji added.

Chinese automakers are making significant strides in their global expansion, with brands drawing attention at events like the Indonesia International Motor Show. Held from February 13 to 23 in Jakarta, the event showcased the rising influence of Chinese automakers such as Wuling, BYD, Chery, Neta, and Denza, with several companies reporting robust sales in overseas markets.