Nio: RWE supplies green electricity for Power Swap Stations
The Chinese automobile start-up NIO has chosen the German energy supplier RWE for the green power supply of its own properties that do not directly receive electricity from the property owner. These include, among others, the so-called Power Swap Stations, the company's own branches, as well as charging hubs and various office spaces. Through the renewable energy supply contract, the company aims to pass on attractive pricing conditions directly to its users.
"Through cooperation with RWE and access to the electricity exchange with its variable trading prices, we can charge the batteries in our PSS in a cost-optimized manner. For example, at night or when the electricity price is particularly low. We will offer a price that is extremely competitive in comparison and yet does not change daily or hourly. Especially with strong price fluctuations in the market, we see this as a special added value," advertises Marius Hayler, General Manager NIO Germany.
The collaboration goes beyond mere electricity supply, adds Hendrik Niebaum, Head of Commodity Solutions at RWE Supply & Trading. In the long term, the power swap stations are intended to be used as battery storage to stabilize the German power grid during fluctuating feed-in of electricity from renewable energies.
"Because by storing or releasing green electricity, we can avoid peak loads and better balance electricity demand," Niebaum continues.
Free Battery Swap and Electricity until 31.03.2024
The manufacturer, struggling with sales problems, is enticing customers who rent their vehicle's battery under the "Battery-as-a-Service" (BaaS) model with access to the Power Swap Station (PSS) for fully automated battery swaps in about five minutes. Customers can swap their battery free of charge until the end of the year; this promotion is now extended until the end of March 2024. From April 2024, two free swaps per month are included in the BaaS model, with the only additional cost being the electricity, as stated by the manufacturer, meaning users will only pay for the energy difference between the new and returned battery. Starting from the third swap, a swap fee of 10 euros will be applied. The new pricing model thus comprises two components: the Swapping Service Fee and the energy cost. Through cooperation with RWE, the price is expected to be approximately 0.39 euros per kilowatt-hour.
Nine More Power Swap Stations Near Opening
In mid-November, the eighth PSS in Germany was opened in Emsbüren, Lower Saxony. The PSS in Emsbüren is also the first station to be fully automated and operate without staff. All existing and upcoming PSS will follow this operational model. As a result, fixed operating hours are established, allowing users to reliably plan to use the service during off-peak times in the morning or late evening. In the near future, nine more PSS are set to become operational, expanding the provider's charging and battery swapping network: Bavaria (Mühldorf am Inn, Aurach, and Geiselwind), Hesse (Sulzbach and Reiskirchen), North Rhine-Westphalia (Kirchlengern), Lower Saxony (Lehre), Brandenburg (Schipkau), and Saxony (Schkeuditz). A PSS at the location in St. Augustin near Bonn (North Rhine-Westphalia) is in the preparation phase.
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