(Yicai Global) Dec. 24 -- Carmaker GAC Group's electric car unit GAC New Energy Automobile has finished the first phase of its new energy vehicle plant project, which will produce customized cars.

The complex in the company's home of Guangzhou, which started construction in September last year, comes at a total price tag of CNY4.7 billion (USD681.2 million) and a planned annual output of 400,000 vehicles. The first phase will achieve a yearly production of 200,000 autos.

The firm will release at least two NEV models per year per the plan, said Gu Huinan, GAC NE's general manager. "We will keep updating the platform and technologies to become the industry leader in three to five years," he added.

The first product will be the Aion S electric sedan, which staged its debut at the 2018 Auto Guangzhou last month. The company will produce its first vehicles in April and sell them in May.

The new plant will support customization with broad interaction. Customers can order using an app, and choose their car's color, interior and the level of smart driving. They can also keep tabs om the production process through the app. The new factory will also begin L4-class (second-highest level after full self-driving) autonomous driving demonstrations in future.

The facility extensively applies big data and artificial intelligence, and is leading the transformation in carmaking, Gu said.

Editor: Ben Armour