NIO is promoting its unique approach to recharging electric vehicle batteries after its success. Owners will have "recharged" EVs in five minutes by swapping depleted batteries for new ones rather than plugging in and waiting to fill up.
NIO's Unique Approach for Depleted Batteries
The China-based automaker and pioneer in the industry NIO revealed an increase in demand for its battery swap stations. PCMag reported that this would make the time spent charging more similar to refilling a gas engine vehicle as it only takes minutes, compared to the 20-60 minutes drivers spend charging.
This approach was called by NIO "Battery-as-a-Service" or BaaS. "BaaS uncouples the cost, maintenance, and upgradability of batteries from the vehicle cost, making EV ownership more appealing," the company stated.
The company stated that their battery swap stations enable vehicles to park automatically into the station and switch for a fresh, fully-charged unit in under five minutes. While some were critical and skeptical of this approach, including Tesla, dubbed it "riddled with problems and not suitable for widescale use," Nio saw a hit in battery swapping stations with its customers.
NIO's 60% of its customers have opted for battery swapping at one of 1,383 Power Snap Stations in China and some in Europe. The company's third-generation stations are capable of 408 swaps per day.
Achieving Milestones with Power Swap Stations
As per the company's press release, users achieved the 10 billion kilometers or 6.2 billion miles distance landmark in just 1,762 days since its launch. This was only taken less than 28 months, with only 150 Power Swap Stations. NIO also achieved its 20 millionth swap, completed at the NIO Power Swap Station at Wuchang Service Center in Hangzhou, China.
Also read : Chinese Carmaker to Launch Flagship NIO ET7 Sedan in 2022 with 33 Sensors, Advanced Autonomous Driving
These achievements confirm the company's commitment to investing in this unique approach. NIO plans to add 1,000 more Power Swap Stations in Chine and up to 70 more in Europe by the end of the year. Chief Executive Officer William Li stated that they consider this a proud moment that confirms the company as a trusted and proven solution for their customers.
"Our compelling range of power solutions, such as our battery swap stations, offers the freedom to travel freely, knowing a robust power solution is never far away," Li added. Maintaining its peak is very important. That's why Li is aiming for the company to become one of the top five automakers in the world by 2030 as they push their offerings outside Europe and China.
To celebrate this achievement, the NIO community hosts a number of #10Bkm events at NIO Houses and Service Centers. This includes celebrations in Norway, where users participated in a drive and family gatherings in a forest in Oslo. Some brought cakes and offered prized to users who had traveled the furthest distances in the first two weeks of May.
Related Article: Ample Branches out to New York, Japan for its EV Battery Swapping Stations That Are Fully Autonomous
