Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Electric vehicle maker Nio has temporarily reduced prices for its charging and battery swap services in the Netherlands by 34%.
Until the end of March, Nio drivers in the Netherlands can swap their car’s battery or charge at Nio chargers near its battery swap stations for €0.29 ($0.30)per kilowatt-hour (kWh), down from the previous rate of €0.44/kWh. Prices in Nio’s largest European market, Germany, remain unchanged.
Nio registered 11 vehicles in the Netherlands in November, unchanged from October and marking the second-lowest monthly total for 2024, according to data from the Dutch automotive industry association. December registration figures are expected on Monday, Jan. 6.
In November, it completed 100,000 battery swaps in Europe, approximately 20 months after launching its first station outside China in Norway. Last month, Nio announced a monthly battery upgrade option, allowing users in four of its five European markets to switch from the standard 75 kWh battery to a 100 kWh battery at its swap stations.
Nio opened its first battery swap station in Belgium in December, bringing the total number of its stations in Europe to 59. The Belgium site is the company’s first in a country where Nio vehicles are not yet available for sale.
In China, Nio’s battery swap network reached a milestone of 3,000 stations this week, with 61.8 million swaps completed since 2018. The company plans to build 2,000 more stations in China over the next year and has started mass production at its newly opened factory in Wuhan.
Just before the end of 2024, the company has filed a patent for a new expandable battery swap station system, which aims to tackle irregular demand in battery swap services, according to details released in a public patent application.
The patent, filed on December 27, describes a modular extension unit that can be attached to existing battery swap stations, increasing the number of batteries available. Currently, fourth-generation stations can store up to 23 batteries.
Nio has been upgrading its third-generation battery swap stations in China to accommodate vehicles from its second brand, Onvo. While Nio vehicles use 75kWh batteries for the standard range, 100kWh for the long range, and 150kWh for the ultra-long range, Onvo vehicles are equipped with either 60kWh or 85kWh batteries.
To ensure smooth service for both brands, Nio must stock multiple battery types at each station, allowing drivers to easily find a compatible battery for their vehicle.
In December alone, Nio added 254 battery swap stations and 125 charging stations in China. The company’s charging network, which is accessible to several other new energy vehicle (NEV) brands, now features more than 25,000 chargers.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
