Daily Archive: April 21, 2023

Svolt Energy’s Dragon Armor Battery makes real-life debut at Shanghai auto show

In a 4C fast-charging solution, the Dragon Armor Battery has 32 percent higher pack capacity compared to the 46 series high nickel cylindrical battery, according to Svolt Energy.

(Image credit: Svolt Energy)

Svolt Energy, which was spun off from Great Wall Motor, gave its Dragon Armor Battery its real-life debut at the ongoing Shanghai auto show, after unveiling the battery late last year.

The battery maker showcased the Dragon Armor Battery at the Shanghai auto show -- which began April 18 and runs through April 27 -- with a video of a previous thermal runaway test on display.

In the test, heating triggered a thermal runaway of a cell in the middle of the pack, but no open fire was seen throughout the pack, Svolt Energy said in an April 19 post on its WeChat account.

The single cell runaway did not spread to adjacent cells, achieving the ultimate power battery safety, the article said.

Compared to the 46-series high nickel large cylindrical battery, the Dragon Armor Battery has 5 percent higher capacity on a 2C fast-charging solution, according to Svolt Energy.

On the 4C fast-charging solution, the Dragon Armor Battery has a 32 percent higher pack capacity compared to 46-series high nickel cylindrical batteries, the company said.

In addition, the highly integrated design of the Dragon Armor Battery reduces size and weight, effectively lowering battery costs, according to Svolt Energy.

The battery is compatible with a wide range of chemistries and can be carried in the A00-D class models, it said.

The strong compatibility shortens the development cycle of new models for car companies, and the versatility of the battery pack further reduces procurement costs, according to the company.

Since the announcement, Dragon Armor batteries have received multiple intent orders from customers, Svolt Energy said, without disclosing customer names.

Svolt Energy unveiled the Dragon Armor Battery at its third Battery Day event on December 15 in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, where it is headquartered.

Like BYD's Blade Battery and 's Qilin Battery, Svolt Energy's Dragon Armor is an innovation in battery pack structure that does not involve battery chemistry.

The Dragon Armor Battery system with lithium iron phosphate cells has improved volumetric pack efficiency to 76 percent and can have a range of more than 800 kilometers, the company said at the time.

Dragon Armor batteries with high-manganese iron-nickel cells can achieve a range of more than 900 kilometers, while such batteries with ternary cells can exceed 1,000 kilometers, Svolt Energy said.

The battery is expected to be on production models in 2023, including an SUV and a coupe in production in October 2023, Svolt Energy Chairman and CEO Yang Hongxin said at the Battery Day event.

Svolt Energy installed 0.43 GWh of batteries in China in March, ranking No. 9 with a 1.53 percent share, according to data released this month by the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA).

Svolt Energy unveils Dragon Armor Battery capable of giving EVs up to 1,000 km of range

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Triple Electric Road Train Trial

Janus Electric has partnered with Oz Minerals and Qube to trial a triple road train powered by a converted electric semi. For the initiated, that’s a prime mover pulling three trailers, and they will be doing this in the harshest conditions in South Australia’s outback. Oz Minerals, Janus Electric, and Qube will trial the technology […]

NIO App sees major changes to vehicle configurator, here are latest model wait times

NIO App's vehicle configurator now available for only 5 models, and the ET7 wait time is back on display.

NIO App sees major changes to vehicle configurator, here are latest model wait times-CnEVPost

(Screenshot on April 21.)

The vehicle configurator on NIO's (NYSE: NIO) Chinese mobile app sees significant changes, following the company's launch of the new ES6 and the 2023 ET7 at the Shanghai auto show.

NIO's website currently showcases seven models -- the new ES8, ES7, new ES6, EC7, EC6, ET7, and ET5.

All models are new based on the NT 2.0 platform, except for the EC6, which is an older model based on the NT 1.0 platform.

In the vehicle configurator of NIO App, only 5 models are available -- the new ES8, ES7, EC7, ET7, ET5, while the configurators of the new ES6 and the NT 1.0 EC6 are not available.

On the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18, NIO launched the new ET7 and unveiled the new ES6.

The 2023 ET7 is already taking order lock-ins, with deliveries starting in mid-May. The new ES6 started to take pre-orders, but the official launch and delivery will be late May, William Li, NIO founder, chairman and CEO, said at the time in a brief launch event.

Previously, the NIO website and app are showing eight models, including the ES8, ES6 and EC6 based on the NT 1.0 platform, and the new ES8, ES7, EC7, ET7 and ET5 based on the NT 2.0 platform.

The all-new ES8 currently shows an expected delivery date of June, in line with the previous one. The model was unveiled at the NIO Day event on December 24 last year and has not yet started taking order lock-ins.

The ES7 currently has a wait time of 3-5 weeks, consistent with the previous information. The model was launched on June 15, 2022, and deliveries began on August 28.

The EC7 currently has a wait time of about 4 weeks. The model was unveiled at last year's NIO Day event on December 24 and began allowing consumers to lock in their orders on April 6.

Deliveries of custom vehicles for the EC7 will begin in mid-May, NIO said on April 6.

Wait time for the ET7 is back on display and currently stand at about 4 weeks. On March 13, the NIO App stopped displaying expected delivery times for the ET7.

On April 18, NIO launched the 2023 ET7 at the Shanghai auto show, and began accepting order lock-ins. Deliveries of the model are expected to begin in mid-May, Li said at the time.

The ET5 currently has a wait time of about 2 weeks, in line with the previous one.

In the first half of this year, NIO will introduce more new products to accelerate the pace from product launch to delivery, the company's management said in a call with analysts after announcing fourth-quarter earnings early last month.

The company will also begin deliveries of its fifth new model this year in July, which would be a month later than originally planned, Li said on the call.

NIO's supply chain and manufacturing teams were actively preparing for the new model switchover and production ramp-up to ensure capacity and supply meet the increased demand for new products, the company said at the time.

The company's main model delivered in the first quarter was the ET5, which is a lower-margin model, so the pressure on gross margin in the first quarter was relatively high, Li said.

NIO App sees major changes to vehicle configurator, here are latest model wait times-CnEVPost

(Vehicle configurator in the NIO App. Screenshot on April 21.)

Changes in wait times for NIO models

DateModelPrevChangeLatest
04/21/23ET7 (NT 2.0)NANAAbout 4 weeks
04/21/23EC7 (NT 2.0)Mid MayNAAbout 4 weeks
04/17/23ES7 (NT 2.0)About 2 weeks3-5 weeks
04/14/23ES6 (NT 1.0)About 2 weeksNAStop showing
04/10/23ET5 (NT 2.0)About 3 weeksAbout 2 weeks
04/10/23ES7 (NT 2.0)About 3 weeksAbout 2 weeks
03/28/23ET5 (NT 2.0)3-4 weeksAbout 3 weeks
03/28/23ES7 (NT 2.0)4-6 weeksAbout 3 weeks
03/14/23ET5 (NT 2.0)2-3 weeks3-4 weeks
03/14/23ES7 (NT 2.0)About 3 weeks4-6 weeks
03/13/23ET7 (NT 2.0)About 3 weeksNAStop showing
02/14/23ES7 (NT 2.0)3-4 weeksAbout 3 weeks
02/14/23ET7 (NT 2.0)3-4 weeksAbout 3 weeks
02/14/23ET5 (NT 2.0)About 3 weeks2-3 weeks
02/6/23ET5 (NT 2.0)3-4 weeksAbout 3 weeks
01/28/23ES7 (NT 2.0)2-3 weeks3-4 weeks
01/28/23ET7 (NT 2.0)2-3 weeks3-4 weeks
01/28/23ET5 (NT 2.0)7-9 weeks3-4 weeks
01/11/23ET5 (NT 2.0)8-10 weeks7-9 weeks
01/5/23ET5 (NT 2.0)9-11 weeks8-10 weeks
12/29/22ET5 (NT 2.0)10-12 weeks9-11 weeks
12/22/22ET5 (NT 2.0)12-14 weeks10-12 weeks
12/20/22ES7 (NT 2.0)4-6 weeks2-3 weeks
12/13/22ET5 (NT 2.0)13-15 weeks12-14 weeks
12/13/22ET7 (NT 2.0)About 2 weeks2-3 weeks
12/13/22EC6 (NT 1.0)About 2 weeksNAStop showing
12/2/22ET5 (NT 2.0)21-23 weeks13-15 weeks
11/25/22ES7 (NT 2.0)7-9 weeks4-6 weeks
11/25/22ET7 (NT 2.0)3-5 weeksAbout 2 weeks
11/23/22ES8 (NT 1.0)About 2 weeksNAStop showing
11/16/22ET7 (NT 2.0)4-6 weeks3-5 weeks
11/10/22ES8 (NT 1.0)2-3 weeksAbout 2 weeks
11/10/22ES6 (NT 1.0)2-3 weeksAbout 2 weeks
11/10/22EC6 (NT 1.0)2-3 weeksAbout 2 weeks
11/3/22ES7 (NT 2.0)11-13 weeks7-9 weeks
11/3/22ET7 (NT 2.0)6-8 weeks4-6 weeks
11/3/22ES8 (NT 1.0)2-4 weeks2-3 weeks
11/3/22ES6 (NT 1.0)2-4 weeks2-3 weeks
11/3/22EC6 (NT 1.0)2-4 weeks2-3 weeks
10/31/22ES7 (NT 2.0)12-14 weeks11-13 weeks
10/31/22ES8 (NT 1.0)3-5 weeks2-4 weeks
10/31/22ES6 (NT 1.0)3-5 weeks2-4 weeks
10/31/22EC6 (NT 1.0)3-5 weeks2-4 weeks
10/21/22ES7 (NT 2.0)13-15 weeks12-14 weeks
10/21/22ET7 (NT 2.0)11-13 weeks6-8 weeks
10/21/22ET5 (NT 2.0)21-23 weeksNAStop showing
10/21/22ES8 (NT 1.0)4-6 weeks3-5 weeks
10/21/22ES6 (NT 1.0)4-6 weeks3-5 weeks
10/21/22EC6 (NT 1.0)4-6 weeks3-5 weeks

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Tesla Passes Mercedes & Toyota As Most Valuable Auto Brand

Electric vehicles are quickly becoming the center of attention in the auto industry, and while Tesla has been dominating deliveries and production of zero-tailpipe-emission vehicles in recent years, it’s also becoming more valuable as a brand. New research from one firm has named Tesla the world’s most valuable automotive brand, surpassing two key household names. […]