Dongfeng Motor's 16,00-tonne gigacasting factory passes completion inspection

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On September 4, the Second Construction Co., Ltd of China Construction Third Engereering Bureau announced that the world's largest integrated die-casting plant, built for Dongfeng Motor, had been completed 25 days ahead of schedule.

Photo credit: the Second Construction Co.,Ltd of China Construction Third Engereering Bureau (WeChat account)

The completed facility covers 47,000 square meters and serves as the core production base of Dongfeng Motor's entire gigacasting industrialization project. To ensure the plant could move quickly toward mass production, the construction team relied on Building Information Modeling (BIM) to streamline the building process, ultimately handing it over nearly a month ahead of contract deadlines.

Inside, the plant is being equipped with dual integrated die-casting lines featuring 16,000-tonne and 10,000-tonne gigacasting machines — the largest of their kind worldwide. Once operational, the production lines are expected to significantly raise both output and efficiency in Dongfeng Motor's new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing.

Construction began in November 2024, making Dongfeng Motor the first automaker to adopt 16,000-tonne gigacasting technology, the largest die-casting capacity currently available.

Gigacasting uses ultra-large machines to cast multiple parts into a single structural component under high pressure. This approach strengthens vehicle bodies as well as enhances both safety and efficiency in NEV design.

According to public filings, the project will focus on research, production, and sales of super-large-scale gigacasting structural components for NEVs, including rear floor assemblies and battery casings. Mass production is expected to begin in June 2026.

The project is being developed in two phases. The factory building has been completed in a single phase, while the casting lines will be rolled out gradually. With an investment of around 1 billion yuan, one 10,000-tonne and one 16,000-tonne line will be installed in the first phase, giving the plant an annual production capacity of 200,000-unit components. Four more lines will be added in the second phase, ultimately bringing total output from both phases to 600,000-unit components per year.