NIO and Geely join forces to boost battery swapping technology

Chinese automotive giant Geely and fellow Chinese startup NIO have just signed a collaboration agreement that will allow them to keep advancing the development of battery swapping technology for electric vehicles. Geely, one of the most important manufacturers in this Asian country, and NIO, the current market leader with the largest battery swapping station network in the world, have decided to cooperate, focusing on five key areas.

These are: the creation of new standards for replaceable batteries, the development of new technology in this field, the expansion of the battery swapping station network, research into new battery models for the future, and asset management.

Initially, Geely and NIO plan to jointly develop two new standards for replaceable batteries: one for private passenger vehicles and the second for commercial vehicles. In addition, both companies also want to establish an efficient asset management mechanism, create a unified battery replacement system, and develop vehicles that are compatible with the replaceable batteries of both companies.

From absolute failure in the West to resounding success in China

The truth is that, after some initial timid attempts in the West to adopt battery swapping as an alternative to ultra-fast charging points, this technology has today been completely abandoned. The situation is quite different, however, in China, where the number of adopters continues to grow day by day and more and more electric vehicle buyers are opting for a compatible model.

The agreement between Geely and NIO should help standardize replaceable batteries, so that it is not necessary to go to a station of the same company as the vehicle being driven. Geely is also not the first manufacturer to join forces with NIO to boost battery swapping technology, since NIO and the Chinese state-controlled manufacturer Changan recently signed a similar agreement.

NIO currently has 2,000 battery swapping stations in China, while Geely currently has 300 of these stations operational. In 2021, Geely announced its intention to have 5,000 battery swapping stations globally, not just in China, by 2025.