Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) maker NIO has proven that swapping EV batteries can work. The company is now going all-out with the technology as it announces plans to set up 1,000 new battery-swap stations ahead of upcoming budget electric cars.
The new swapping stations will use a new and more efficient design and will be completed before the end of 2023.
NIO controls 1,300 swap stations in China, where users can replace their depleted batteries with fully charged ones. This helps them prevent the considerable wait times to charge an EV battery conventionally. Car owners can also opt for NIO’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS), which slashes the car’s purchase price while they make monthly payments for the battery and service. It can reduce EV costs by up to 20%.
Each new station can handle 408 battery swaps daily, 30% more efficient than existing stations. NIO has updated the technology with a feature that autonomously parks the car in the proper position. A swap takes about three minutes, as reported by SCMP.
NIO plans to own more than 4,000 swap stations globally by the end of 2025, with about a quarter outside China. Its European stations completed 10,000 swaps in February. The first station in Germany opened last September.
According to Shen Fei, VP of NIO Power, the compare is ready to share its battery swap tech. “We hope to largely expand our service and network and bring better user experience to car owners. NIO , as a pioneer of the battery-swap model, welcomes other carmakers to share the technology and network.”
