Electric car batteries: swap, Nio’s challenge

To conquer Europe, Nio wants to use the battery exchange system associated with a form of leasing. Instead of bearing the cost of the battery, the buyer will pay a monthly fee and will be able to take advantage of the battery swap stations, where in a few minutes he will have a new fully charged battery.

Emiliano Ragoni

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EmilianoRagoni

September 27

Nio is one of the fastest growing Chinese auto companies. After a difficult period, this company now seems to have recovered thanks to a solid product portfolio and, above all, through its rapid battery exchange system. The Chinese company plans to build 1,000 rapid battery swap stations outside of China by 2025, most of them in Europe.

battery swap to conquer europe

Rapid battery exchange stations will be installed in Germany and other European countries. “We have a clear advantage over our competitors in terms of products and services. It is true that in three years there will be more models of electric vehicles to be launched in Europe, but we are also making more progress,” said Qin Lihong on Tuesday. the co-founder of the company, in a telephone interview. To conquer Europe, Nio wants to use the battery exchange system associated with a form of leasing. How does it work in practice? As we know, electric cars are generally priced higher than thermal cars due to the cost of the battery, which is the most expensive component. Nio, in order to amortize this cost for the buyer, plans to separate it from the car. In this way the buyer can buy the car at a lower price. For example, in Norway, Nio sells the ES8 SUV without a battery for an equivalent price of just over $ 52,000. Buyers can pay $ 8,700 to purchase a 75kWh battery, or, alternatively, pay a $ 135 monthly subscription by taking advantage of the quick swap stations. Most Norwegian customers eventually opted to pay a $ 135 monthly subscription.

risks and benefits of the battery swap

Nio’s strategy shifts costs and risks onto the company itself. As a result, most established car manufacturers have been looking for other ways to reduce battery costs and increase charging efficiency. In China, Nio has created a company with several partners, including battery giant Catl, with the aim of purchasing battery packs for leasing and then collecting subscription fees from users of the Chinese company’s electric cars. Qin said Nio’s electric vehicle offering is “vastly superior” to that of established automakers such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group and that the company is ready to compete in the domestic market. For better attention to the European market, Nio has opened the first plant outside China and, precisely, in Hungary, to produce energy products such as battery exchange stations. This way you will avoid paying huge shipping costs from China.



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