Nio unveils new 500kW ultra fast EV chargers, and battery swap stations

Chinese electric carmaker Nio has unveiled a new 500kW fast-charging station that the company will begin installing in China and Europe throughout the rest of 2022.

Nio’s new 500kW ultra fast charging stations were one of several announcements made through the Power Day live broadcast late last week when Nio president Qin Lihong and his team outlined the company’s charging and battery technologies.

Nio is planning to roll out its new charging piles in both China and as part of its continuing European expansion, though exactly where the new chargers will be installed was not made clear, only that they would be installed by the end of the year.

However, it’s worth remembering that Nio joined forces with oil and gas supermajor Shell late last year to collaborate on charging and battery swap facilities to be deployed in both China and Europe.

Nio also provided a first preview of its third-generation battery swapping station, which is reportedly nearing the end of development and is being tested, with a promise to unveil the next generation stations later this year.

Nio currently operates over 1,000 battery swap stations throughout China, capable of storing up to 13 batteries and able to provide over 300 swaps per day.

In China, Nio is targeting a battery swap network that covers nine vertical highways, nine horizontal highways, and 19 urban areas around the country, and a goal of ensuring that 90% of Nio customers will have at least one battery swap station within three kilometres of their homes.

Overall, Nio is aiming to install 4,000 battery swap stations worldwide by 2025, 1,000 of which will be installed outside of China, presumably in Europe.