- In the UAE, a single battery swap service costs AED 119 ($32) for a 100-kWh battery pack and AED 99 for a 75-kWh pack.
- Nio aims to expand its global presence to as many as 25 countries and regions by the end of 2025.
Nio (NYSE: NIO) today opened its first battery swap station in the United Arab Emirates on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and its first in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, as the company moves forward with its efforts in overseas markets.
The battery swap station is located at Yas Marina Circuit, Silver 2 Car Park on Yas Island, the capital's main commercial and lifestyle hub, providing convenience for users traveling between Emirates, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker said in a statement.
This is Nio's 3,189th battery swap stations globally and reinforces the brand's alignment with the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030, which sees investment towards more sustainable and innovative transport solutions that cater to the needs of the UAE's burgeoning population, it said.
Yesterday, Nio UAE announced that the station was built and would soon be open.
"The launch of NIO Power Swap Station in the UAE signifies a transformative step in the evolution of electric mobility in the region," said Mohammed Maktari, CEO of NIO MENA.
"With our first station in Abu Dhabi, we are introducing cutting-edge technology that aligns with the UAE's bold vision to develop renewable energy solutions and a robust, innovative infrastructure," Maktari added.
The battery swap station is Nio's third generation and can hold up to 21 batteries and perform up to 408 battery swap services per day.
In its home market of China, Nio's current addition of battery swap stations is the fourth generation, compatible with different brands of vehicles, including its sub-brand Onvo.
"By combining speed, convenience, and innovation, we're making it easier than ever for users to embrace electric mobility without compromise," said Roberto Lopes Da Silva, General Manager of NIO UAE.
Nio's battery swap stations offer an efficient solution that is faster than supercharging, where instead of charging the same battery, the system swaps it for a fully charged one, thus ensuring the shortest waiting time, the company emphasized.
At the same time, the batteries at the stations are charged using an optimized charging current that prolongs battery life and ensures the vehicle is always ready for the road, it said.
The stations also have the ability to participate in grid peak regulation, as well as flexible dismantling capabilities for easy battery recycling and reuse, Nio said.
In the UAE, Nio users enjoy the convenience of the swap stations for the first three years of ownership, with the option to extend the usage period to five years from the date of vehicle registration, according to the statement.
Nio offers straightforward pricing for battery swap and charging services, including battery swap and full charging: AED 119 ($32) for a 100-kWh battery pack and AED 99 for a 75-kWh pack.
To date, Nio has completed over 67 million battery swaps for its users.
Nio announced its plans to enter the global market in May 2021 and opened its first Nio House in an overseas market in Norway on October 1 of the same year, marking the official start of its international expansion efforts.
In Europe, Nio vehicles are now available in five markets -- Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.
On October 4, 2024, Nio signed an agreement with its Middle East backer, Abu Dhabi-based CYVN Holdings to establish Nio MENA, marking its entry into the MENA market.
The UAE was chosen as the initial market for Nio MENA, positioning the region as a key player in the deployment of advanced autonomous driving systems and battery swap technology, a statement at the time said.
Nio and CYVN also planned to establish a research and development center in Abu Dhabi that would focus on autonomous driving and artificial intelligence, according to a statement from the EV maker in October last year.
On November 28 last year, Nio opened Nio House Abu Dhabi, its first flagship showroom in the MENA region.
On the opening day of the Nio House, Nio also announced that the EL8 -- known as the ES8 in China -- had been delivered in the UAE market, and that local deliveries of the EC6 and ET5 would begin in the first quarter of 2025.
On January 9 this year, the company opened a Nio Space, its smaller showroom in Dubai, UAE.
William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, announced at the Nio Day 2021 event in December 2021 that the company was aiming to serve users in more than 25 countries and territories around the world by 2025.
However, after that, Nio slowed down its expansion in overseas markets as global geopolitical conditions changed in an unfavorable direction.
Last year, the company began to ramp up its efforts in overseas markets.
In an interview with Chinese state-run media outlet CGTN on the sidelines of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, last November, Nio's co-founder and president Qin Lihong said the company still hoped to expand its global presence to as many as 25 countries and regions by the end of 2025.
Nio appointed Green Car as its national distributor in Azerbaijan in November last year and planned to start delivering vehicles in the country in the second quarter of 2025.
($1 = AED 3.6726)
Nio exec named 1st chair of new working group to promote China-EU auto cooperation
Related posts on CnEVPost
