Chinese electric vehicle startup NIO and British automaker Lotus announced a new partnership for battery charging and swapping on Thursday, the first day of the 2024 Beijing Auto Show.
Revolutionizing EV infrastructure
NIO and Lotus officially formed a strategic partnership on charging and swapping to reshape the existing electric vehicle infrastructure. According to the press release, the scope of the cooperation includes the following relevant areas:
- battery standards
- charging and swapping technologies
- battery asset management and operations
- service network construction and operations
- vehicle R&D and customization
- connectivity
Through these efforts, the partnership aims to achieve the following innovations:
- a unified battery standard system
- co-developed passenger EVs compatible with the battery-swapping system
- connectivity of battery swapping networks and operators with unified battery swapping operational and management system
- an efficient battery asset management system
- interconnectivity of different charging platforms
- a standardized high-power charging tech system and a reliable and shared high-power charging network
These are basically the to-do list of NIO and Lotus under the new cooperation, which can potentially revolutionize the current electric vehicle infrastructure in China.
NIO leads battery swapping race
NIO has proven its competence in the electric vehicle market with its luxury offerings. On top of that, the Chinese company has advanced as the global leader in battery-swapping technology.
As of October 2023, it has recorded over 30 million battery swap activities worldwide.
Moreover, its nationwide Power Swap Station installation has also reached 2,404 as of April 25.
This significant milestone demonstrates the new technology’s strong potential to replace traditional charging infrastructures.
Apart from the battery swapping stations, Nio also installed 3,776 charging stations and 21,995 NIO Chargers along the country’s expressways.
Lotus’ electrification efforts
This new partnership can significantly aid Lotus in its efforts to catch up in electric vehicles, making its models more attractive to Chinese customers.
Notably, Chinese automaker Geely has controlled a majority of Lotus since 2017. Lotus, like most Chinese players, has committed to an all-electric future to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving market.
As of now, it currently offers three battery-electric models, including the Emeya, Evija, and Eletre SUV. To support the deployment of these BEVs, the company launched its own line of liquid-cooled DC fast chargers that yield up to 450 kW.
All that said, the new partnership between NIO and Lotus can pave the way for more innovative charging and battery swap technologies to further boost electric vehicle uptake in China and potentially beyond.
