Who owns Avatr? The ownership chain, Changan Automobile's stake and the 2021 deal
Facts checked Chinese holding 100%
Avatr is Chinese. It is a premium electric brand set up by Changan with the battery maker CATL and Huawei; every shareholder is Chinese. Huawei supplies the electronics and Changan the vehicle engineering.
Changan is Avatr's largest shareholder. The company began in 2018 as the 50:50 Changan-NIO venture and was renamed Avatr Technology in May 2021 after NIO withdrew; the 40.99% figure is as of December 2024.
The short answer
| Controlled by | Changan Automobile |
|---|---|
| Stake | 40.99% |
| Since | May 2021 |
| Kind | brand |
| Origin | CN |
| Name in Chinese | 阿维塔 “ah-way-TAH” |
| Top of the chain | State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council |
| Is it Chinese? | Yes |
The chain, step by step
State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council owns China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. at 100% since 29 July 2025.
The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council inaugurated China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. as a central state-owned enterprise on 29 July 2025, with registered capital of 20 billion yuan and 117 subsidiaries and branches.
China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. owns Changan Automobile at 35.04% since July 2025.
The new central SOE holds 14.23% of the listed Chongqing Changan Automobile directly and a further 20.81% through Chenzhi Group and Zhonghui Futong Investment, for 35.04% in total, as reported in July 2025.
Changan Automobile owns Avatr at 40.99% since May 2021.
Changan is Avatr's largest shareholder. The company began in 2018 as the 50:50 Changan-NIO venture and was renamed Avatr Technology in May 2021 after NIO withdrew; the 40.99% figure is as of December 2024.
| Holder | Holds | Kind | Stake | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council | China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. | owns | 100% | 29 July 2025 |
| China Changan Automobile Group Co., Ltd. | Changan Automobile | owns | 35.04% | July 2025 |
| Changan Automobile | Avatr | owns | 40.99% | May 2021 |
Other recorded holdings in Avatr
Holdings that are not control, kept out of the chain above so that nothing on this page reads as ownership when it is not. A joint venture is a company two parents built together: its percentage is a share of the venture, not a holding in the partner. The same pair can appear twice with different kinds, and both rows are real.
| Holder | What it is | Share | Since | What the source says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited | holds a stake in | 14.1% | not published | CATL is Avatr's second-largest shareholder. The figure is as of December 2024; the date the holding began could not be confirmed. |
| NIO | holds a stake in | 0.67% | 2018 | A residue of the company's origin as Changan-NIO, a 50:50 venture founded in 2018. NIO stepped back during its financial difficulties and its holding was diluted to 0.67% by December 2024. |
| Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. | licenses the name to | not published | 2021 | Huawei supplies Avatr's full-stack driver-assistance system, cockpit software and some components. It holds no shares in Avatr. The equity ran the other way in August 2024, when Avatr agreed to buy 10% of Huawei's automotive parts unit, Shenzhen Yinwang Intelligent Technology, for 11.5 billion yuan. |
Avatr: questions people ask
- Who owns Avatr?
- Changan Automobile is the largest shareholder, with 40.99% as of December 2024, and the battery maker CATL is second with 14.1%. The rest is held by Chongqing state funds and other investors, including a 0.67% residue held by NIO.
- Does Huawei own Avatr?
- No. Huawei supplies Avatr's driver-assistance software, cockpit systems and some components but holds no shares in it. In 2024 Avatr agreed to buy 10% of Huawei's own automotive parts unit.
- What does Avatr mean?
- It has no meaning in Chinese: 阿维塔 (Āwéitǎ) is a phonetic transliteration. The company connects the name to the Sanskrit avatāra, a deity taking physical form.
- Is Avatr the old Changan-NIO company?
- Yes. The company was set up in 2018 as a 50:50 venture between Changan and NIO. NIO stepped back and the business was renamed Avatr Technology in May 2021; NIO still holds a fraction of a percent.
Related
Sources for Avatr
- Wikipedia, Avatr Technology. Read . Origin as Changan-NIO, the May 2021 renaming, the December 2024 shareholder table, Huawei's non-equity role and the model launches.
- CnEVPost, Avatr to acquire 10% stake in Huawei's parts unit Newcool for $1.6 billion. Read . August 2024 agreement for Avatr to buy into Shenzhen Yinwang.
- Gasgoo, Changan Automobile 2025 Financial Report: Record Sales and Profit Structure Adjustment. Read . Avatr's 2025 volume from Changan's annual report.
- Wikipedia, List of automobile manufacturers of China. Read . Avatr listed as a Changan brand.
- State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, China Inaugurates Changan as Central SOE. Read .
- iChongqing, Changan Powering Chongqing's Rise as a Global Motor City. Read .
- Changan Automobile, About Us. Read . Changan lists AVATR among its five brands.