HEFEI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- As evening fell over Xiatang Township in eastern China, a local night market was bustling with activity. Restaurants and open-air food stalls were filled with diners, a majority of them from the nearby factory of China's leading new energy vehicle (NEV) giant BYD.

A popular local saying captures the transformation of this small township in Changfeng County in Hefei, capital of Anhui Province: In the past, one sesame seed cake was made every one minute. Today, one NEV rolls off the production line every minute.

Driven by the rapid growth of China's NEV industry, the once-impoverished county has undergone a dramatic industrial revival.

Changfeng County was removed from China's poverty list in 2012. Currently, it ranks among Anhui's leading county-level economies, driven largely by the rapid expansion of the NEV sector.

The county has played a significant role in Anhui's automotive success. In 2025, the province reported the largest automobile and NEV production volume among all provincial regions across China, with Changfeng alone producing 810,000 NEVs, accounting for 45 percent of the total NEV output in Anhui Province.

The county has developed a complete NEV industrial chain, attracting vehicle manufacturers and parts suppliers. Now, local NEV plants and auto parts companies account for over two-thirds of local industrial output, making the sector a strong growth engine.

Changfeng is home to factories operated by major Chinese automakers, including BYD, NIO and JAC, providing suppliers with a stable customer base while lowering logistics costs.

"Since 2022, our revenue has tripled to 1.5 billion yuan (about 220 million U.S. dollars)," said Zhang Hao, deputy general manager of Anhui Wan'an Auto Parts Co., Ltd. He attributed the company's growth to its independently developed lightweight chassis systems designed for NEVs.

"Thanks to the NEV industrial cluster in Hefei, economies of scale and cost advantages have made our products more competitive," Zhang said.

Anhui Meeyear Jingtu Intelligent Manufacturing Co., Ltd., a supplier of products used in automobiles, chips and computers, even relocated its headquarters to this county at the end of 2025.

"The main reason for choosing Changfeng was the strength of the automotive industry cluster," explained Wang Tinghao, general manager of Anhui Meeyear Jingtu.

The county plans to further strengthen the NEV sector by focusing on intelligent connected vehicles, automotive electronics and smart cockpits, according to Yu Mingming, director of Changfeng County Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.

The industry's impact, notably, extends beyond factory floors.

"The BYD factory has attracted tens of thousands of workers from across the country, stimulating growth in housing, consumption and services," said Fan Shaobin, a senior county official.

The influx of workers has spurred the construction of more residential housing and commercial complexes, resulting in economic prosperity, Fan added.

The county's rising reputation as an NEV manufacturing hub has even created opportunities for local e-commerce livestreamers.

"The fame of the local NEV industry has brought more viewers to our livestreams," said Dai Panpan, a local e-commerce livestreamer.

Dai and her husband previously worked in e-commerce in downtown Hefei. With Xiatang having gained prominence as a new NEV production base, the couple opted to return to their hometown and began selling local agricultural products online.

"In the past, local farm produce often lacked effective sales channels and generated limited income," Dai said. "Now, the automotive industry has brought both visitors and online attention, helping our products reach consumers across the country."