On January 21st, Dongfeng’s 16,000 ton die-casting factory located in the Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone produced its first product – a battery casing. The factory houses the world’s largest 16,000-ton and 10,000-ton die-casting dual production lines. Mass production is expected to begin in April, and models such as the Dongfeng eπ 007, eπ 008, and Voyah Dreamer will be among the first vehicles to be equipped with components manufactured from this factory.
The factory will primarily focus on the research, development, production, and sales of ultra-large integrated die-cast structural components for new energy vehicles (NEVs), including battery casings.
Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, die-cast battery casings can improve the safety of the vehicle’s power battery system, reduce vehicle weight and energy consumption, and extend the driving range of NEVs, according to Dongfeng.
This factory, covering an area of 47,000 square meters, officially began construction in November 2024, and the main factory building was completed in August 2025 with a total investment of approximately 1 billion yuan (143.6 million USD). Within the factory grounds stand the 16,000-ton and 10,000-ton die-casting machines. The annual output is 200,000 automotive components.
The second phase plans to build four production lines, bringing the total annual output to 600,000 units.
The 16,000-ton die-casting machine was designed and manufactured in China, making this the largest integrated die-casting factory in the industry to date.
In particular, the mold of Dongfeng’s 10,000-ton die-casting machine consists of a moving mold and a stationary mold. When 720℃ molten aluminum is injected into the mold, the molten aluminum quickly fills the mold cavity. Then, the moving mold presses against the stationary mold with a pressure of 10,000 tons. In just two minutes, vehicle battery trays and battery casings can be die-casted into the desired shape.
Source: Dongfeng
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