NIO halts production of its new 150 kWh battery packs with semi-solid electrolyte

In April 2024, NIO began series production of its innovative 150 kWh battery pack with semi-solid cells developed by its technology partner WeLion. Thanks to this advanced technology, the Chinese manufacturer promised vehicles with over 1,000 km of range on the CLTC cycle, placing them ahead of the rest of its competitors in this respect.

However, barely a year and a half later, the company has decided to stop production altogether after assembling only a few hundred units.

William Li, founder and chairman of NIO, has confirmed the news to the media, saying that they made these new 150 kWh battery packs available to customers at the company’s battery swap stations, and their surprise was that very few of them were requested.

The end of the craze for range

The high rental cost of this battery pack seems to be the main reason for its low demand. On the other hand, as Li himself explained, the consolidation of China’s rapid battery swap network, with more than 3,500 operational stations to date, has significantly reduced the need for Chinese drivers to have vehicles with large ranges.

“Years ago, when we barely had any stations, half of our customers chose the 100 kWh battery over the 75 kWh one. Today, with the current infrastructure, 97 percent opt for the smaller capacity”

Chinese drivers’ habits seem to have changed and, for the vast majority, stopping for a few minutes to swap the battery is more attractive than paying a premium for the possibility of driving 1,000 kilometres without interruption. The 150 kWh pack uses a semi-solid electrolyte that improves energy density, but it also drives up production costs.

This 150 kWh battery pack was assembled at NIO’s plant in Nanjing (Jiangsu), and the cells came from WeLion’s plant in Huzhou. The head of NIO has also confirmed that this battery pack will never reach Europe either, where additional homologation and testing would be required, making its price even higher.