About 1.02 million new energy vehicles (NEVs) were manufactured last year in Xi'an – capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province – a massive year-on-year increase of 277.7 percent, elevating Xi'an to the country's No 1 city in NEV production.

The BYD production line swings into action in Xi'an. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

The rapid development of Xi'an's NEV industry is inseparable from the technological innovation of auto companies.

Of the 1.02 million NEVs produced last year, BYD's giant production facility in Xi'an produced 995,000 units, accounting for 97.9 percent of the total.

In 2003, BYD settled in Xi'an, which is now the company's global strategic center with the highest development quality, the most complete layout of infrastructure and the fastest growth after its headquarters in the city of Shenzhen.

In addition to BYD's strong support, mainstream car companies such as Geely have also established in-depth operations in Xi'an.

Moreover, Xi'an has rolled out a series of policies to support the NEV industry, such as the Xi'an Automobile Industry Chain Development Promotion Plan (2018-2025) and a policy called the Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the High-quality Development of the NEV Industry.