On August 20, NIO held its Charging Day in Wuhan. The event showcased NIO’s achievements in charging and battery swapping over recent years. NIO announced several plans and products. The most striking was the battery swapping plan, which aims for coverage in all 27 provincial-level regions by the end of 2025. The charging plan will launch simultaneously. NIO also introduced the “NIO Energy Partner Program” and a new portable charging device called the “Car-to-Car Integrated Machine.”
At the event, NIO founder and CEO Li Bin introduced the company’s achievements in charging and battery swapping. As of August 20, NIO has established 2,480 battery swapping stations and 23,009 charging piles nationwide. These numbers lead the industry.
NIO focuses on consumers’ actual driving needs and charging requirements. It has established 80 scenic charging routes. These include the Silk Road, the 318 Sichuan-Tibet Line, and the Great Wall Line. NIO also built several routes in the grasslands. In Europe, NIO connected the Rhine Valley Line and the Scandinavian Coastline, ensuring diverse coverage of domestic and international scenic areas.
The “Charging County Connectivity” plan officially starts now. By June 30, 2025, it will complete charging connectivity in all provincial-level administrative regions, except Hong Kong and Taiwan. Every county will have NIO charging stations. These stations will serve NIO owners and also open to other brand owners. All electric vehicle users will access NIO’s charging stations.
The “Battery Swap County Connection” plan will cover 13 provincial-level regions by mid-2025. By the end of 2025, it will complete the plan for 27 provincial-level regions, covering over 2,300 county-level regions. In 2026, the plan will target the remaining provincial-level regions. This will allow more users to enjoy the best charging services in the industry.
In addition to the “Jiadian County Connectivity” plan, the “NIO Energy Charging Partner Program” has officially launched. Previous partner programs lacked detailed planning in terms of specifics and control. This new partner program offers a comprehensive summary and establishes three cooperation methods.
The first method is charging station franchising. Partners handle site, power, and construction issues. NIO Energy provides professional equipment, a complete platform, and ongoing operations and maintenance. This partnership suits those with site and power resources. It also achieves win-win benefits.
The second type involves fixed income from charging and swapping stations. Partners mainly handle equipment and site investment. NIO Energy manages site selection, construction, operation, and maintenance. This collaboration suits low-cost investments. It ensures long-term, stable returns and minimizes investment risks.
The third method involves a base guarantee for charging stations plus revenue sharing. Partners invest in equipment and site. NIO Energy handles site selection, construction, operation, and maintenance. This collaboration suits partners who believe in industry growth and seek higher potential returns. At the event, the first batch of NIO charging partners signed contracts. The covered areas include major cities nationwide.
In addition to the two plans, the event introduced the NIO portable car charging all-in-one machine. This device supports a maximum charging power of 40kW and a maximum output voltage of 1000V. Its energy conversion rate reaches 95%. It allows for a 5-minute charge that increases range by 20km. This device is not a mobile power bank. It acts as a connector. When our electric car runs out of power, we can connect to any passing electric vehicle. This enables us to charge our car or vice versa. This device is very practical for those who enjoy long road trips.
Summary: NIO’s Charging Day event summarizes its recent work. The company showcases its achievements and future plans, especially the “County Connectivity” initiative. This plan reflects NIO’s commitment and contributes to the development of new energy vehicles in China and globally. Importantly, NIO now supports battery swapping for more brands, not just its own models. This positive development will likely increase consumer recognition in the battery swapping sector. What do you think?