Nio builds first battery swap station in Europe

The car parks itself, a machine from underneath the ground removes the empty battery from the car and inserts a new one. All of this runs automatically and takes about as long as refueling a combustion engine - in about four minutes, the battery swap is completed. The concept of not having to charge the power storage for long, but being able to quickly swap it, requires the establishment of its own swap-infrastructure.

István Kapitány, Global Executive Vice President of Shell Mobility, said: “Decarbonization is a global challenge that requires extensive, multifaceted solutions. This means providing Shell Recharge high-speed charging at NIO locations and making battery swapping available at convenient Shell locations, while also offering our best charging solutions for households and businesses to NIO customers.”

Nio had announced 500 battery swap locations by the end of 2021 and far exceeded this goal. The 700th station has already been put into operation in China.

William Li, founder and CEO of NIO, said, "The cooperation demonstrates Shell's determination to accelerate the energy transition and commitment to contribute to sustainable development globally. We believe that the cooperation between NIO and Shell will bring better services and experiences to electric vehicle users worldwide."

Almost bankrupt and now on a growth trajectory

Nio faced near-collapse in 2020 before Chinese banks stepped in with loans equivalent to 1.3 billion euros. The following year, the Chinese company reported having produced 100,000 vehicles. Currently, alongside the flagship ET7 introduced in 2021, three electric SUV models are available on the home market. Sales numbers are growing rapidly, and the European market is now set to be conquered.

Nio first in Norway

Like most electric vehicle manufacturers, they started their European strategy in the EV-friendly country of Norway. The ES8 has been available for order there since summer 2021, an SUV roughly the size of the Audi Q7. The ES8 will be equipped as a six- and seven-seater with a 100 kWh battery that is said to offer a range of up to 500 kilometers according to WLTP. Located just outside the Norwegian capital Oslo is now the first battery swap station in Europe. Initially, the five largest cities and some heavily trafficked routes are to be equipped with stations. In addition to the swap option, their own supercharger network will also be established. The stations are to be operated jointly with Shell.

Luxury sedan from 2022 in Germany

Sales in Germany are set to begin in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Chinese manufacturer already operates a design studio and its European headquarters in this country. The Nio ET7 is to be offered in Germany in the first step. The sedan is based on a further developed platform from the SUV models. The Chinese see the ET7 in competition with Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQE, and the upcoming Audi A6 E-Tron. In China, the ET7 is even available with solid-state batteries and is said to achieve up to 1,000 kilometers. This puts the Chinese in the shade of Tesla. Similar ranges were recently promised by Mercedes with the newly introduced EQXX research vehicle.