Category: Nio

NIO ET5 Touring pricing ‘a pleasant surprise,’ says Morgan Stanley

While touring cars might be relatively niche compared to sedans, some comparable offerings in the market can still deliver monthly sales of about 10,000 units on a consistent basis, Tim Hsiao's team said.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

(NYSE: NIO) officially launched the ET5 Touring yesterday, and its pricing looks competitive to analysts.

"Pricing of ET5 Touring is more competitive than we thought -- on par with the incumbent ET5 sedan at Rmb 298k+," Morgan Stanley analyst Tim Hsiao's team said in a research note sent to investors yesterday.

While the segment could be relatively niche, NIO management believes the ET5 Touring is likely to outsell its sedan version, the team noted.

In China, the available versions and pricing of the ET5 Touring are identical to those of the regular ET5 sedan.

Including the battery, the 75-kWh version starts at RMB 298,000 ($41,890) and the 100-kWh version at RMB 356,000.

Chinese consumers who choose to purchase the model using the BaaS (battery as a service) service will see the prices start at RMB 228,000 for both versions, with monthly battery rental costs of RMB 980 and RMB 1,680 respectively.

Compared to the regular ET5, the ET5 Touring has more rear-seat headroom, and more vertical space in the trunk, while it also has a lower driving position, and the option for electrochromic sunroofs, Hsiao's team noted.

"Such retrofits will help increase the TAM of the ET5 family by attracting users who attach greater value to the in-car space," the team said.

It's worth noting that in China, derivatives of sedans are a niche market.

However, the unexpected success of the 001, the first model of 's Zeekr brand, has made such models increasingly popular.

For the full year 2022, Zeekr delivered 71,941 Zeekr 001s, reaching its goal of delivering 70,000 vehicles for the year.

While touring cars might be relatively niche compared to sedans, some comparable products in the market still manage to deliver monthly sales of about 10,000 units on a consistent basis, according to Hsiao's team.

In China, the competitive landscape in the touring market is relatively benign, with the main comparables coming mainly from foreign brands such as the Audi S4, Mercedes-Benz CLA and Volvo V60, according to the team.

Whether NIO can successfully ramp up sales of the ET5 Touring in the coming months to meet its goal of reaching 20,000 units per month in the second half of the year remains to be seen, the team said, adding that the company's management expects the ET5 family to contribute about 30 percent of sales.

The ET5 sedan, ET5 Touring and the new ES6 will dominate NIO's sales, Hsiao's team said.

NIO launched the new ES6, the most important model in its history, in China on May 24, with deliveries starting on launch night.

As with the new ES6, NIO produced some ET5 Touring vehicles in advance based on a combination of designer-recommended configurations, and its deliveries officially began today.

($1 = RMB 7.1136)

NIO launches ET5 Touring in China with same pricing as regular ET5

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NIO’s urgency to capture volume and cut expenses finally here, says Deutsche Bank

With 's broad price cuts and the rapid rollout of new NT 2.0 models, it could see a considerabe sales rebound in the second half of the year, according to Edison Yu's team.

NIO (NYSE: NIO) management expressed a rare cautious approach to future spending during last week's earnings call, and this week let the purchase threshold for the entire lineup drop. To Deutsche Bank, this series of moves suggests that NIO is finally starting to show real urgency.

"Our main takeaway following 1Q earnings and hosting NIO management (CFO in person in NYC this week) is that the urgency to capture volume and cut back spending is finally here," analyst Edison Yu's team said in a research note sent to investors today.

With NIO's broad price cut and the rapid rollout of the new NT 2.0 model, its sales can rebound considerably in the second half of the year, paving the way for 20,000 units per month, the team said.

In addition, as NIO reduces spending on non-core initiatives, its operating expenses and capital expenditures should be much more controlled, the team added.

NIO reported weaker-than-expected first-quarter results on June 9, with gross margins falling to just 1.5 percent due to promotional activities.

The company's management said during the earnings call that NIO will manage its cash flow carefully, postpone some of its fixed asset investments and focus on the countries it has already entered in Europe.

NIO is confident that it will see sales of more than 20,000 units per month in the second half of the year, William Li, the company's founder, chairman and CEO, said at the time.

On June 12, NIO lowered the starting prices of its entire new model lineup by RMB 30,000 yuan ($4,200), but the previously free battery swap service several times a month became a paid option.

Yu's team said in the research note today that they applaud the move as demand for NIO's existing models, particularly sedans, has been struggling in recent months.

"In our view, pricing is an issue for getting incremental buyers considering premium BEVs in general have sold poorly this year," the team wrote.

Despite the ongoing platform changeover for NIO's three first-generation SUVs, combined sales of the Avatr 11, IM LS7 and G9 averaged only about 4,500 units per month this year, about half of what the Audi Q5 sells locally in China, the team noted.

NIO's pricing is the highest among the upstart brands. In addition to price adjustments, the company must effectively compete with internal combustion engine vehicle makers, and extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) makers, and enhance its brand appeal, Yu's team said.

The electrification of China's premium car market appears to be proceeding more slowly, which may be counterintuitive to those outside of China, the team said.

They explained further:

Based on our analysis of the premium SUV market (>300k RMB), the BEV mix is only 12% YTD, compared with PHEV (includes EREV) at 18%, leaving 70% for ICE.

This compares with the overall market that is 21% BEV and 10% PHEV, showing customer preferences are quite different depending on the sub-segment.

The team's interpretation of this is that the EREV value proposition is resonating with a broader audience than expected, and has done a very effective job at maximizing.

In addition, Yu's team believes that NIO's brand appeal has hit a wall of sorts as it struggles to gain momentum outside of Shanghai and surrounding provinces and outside of financial and tech social circles.

The performance of NIO's best-selling ET5 is a case in point. Nearly 40 percent of the model's sales come from Shanghai and surrounding provinces, and while the ET5 theoretically has the broadest appeal among NIO's offerings, sales in the south have been quite poor, the team said.

"Moreover, based on our channel checks, affluent older customers simply are not buying into the brand (yet) and still prefer traditional BBA cars (i.e., greater loyalty)," the team said.

For investors, they are shifting to a less negative view as NIO's sales and cash burn trajectory appears to be reversing, the team said.

Depending on how the second half of the year plays out, NIO's stock price could remain volatile until there is a clear upward trajectory in sales, according to the team.

($1 = RMB 7.1236)

BREAKING: NIO cuts starting prices by $4,200 for all models and makes battery swap benefits optional

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NIO ET5 Touring has 3-4 weeks delivery wait time in China after launch

has produced some ET5 Touring vehicles based on designer-recommended configurations, and deliveries of these non-customized vehicles will officially begin on June 16.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

NIO (NYSE: NIO) launched the ET5 Touring, a derivative of the ET5 sedan, in China yesterday, and consumers who want to order a customized vehicle will have to wait about a month to get delivery.

Consumers who currently customize the ET5 Touring are expected to get delivery about 3-4 weeks after locking in their orders, information on the configurator for the model in the NIO App shows.

Pricing for the ET5 Touring in China is identical to that of the regular ET5, starting at RMB 298,000 ($41,760) for the version with the 75-kWh battery pack and RMB 356,000 for the 100-kWh version, including the battery.

Chinese consumers who choose to purchase the model using the BaaS (battery as a service) service will see the prices start at RMB 228,000 for both versions, with monthly battery rental costs of RMB 980 and RMB 1,680 respectively.

NIO began allowing consumers to lock in their orders for the ET5 Touring after the model's launch, and the company has already produced some ET5 Touring vehicles based on designer-recommended configuration combinations, with deliveries set to begin on June 16.

The wait information for other NIO models is unchanged today from what was shown previously.

The expected delivery time for the new ES8, which was launched at NIO Day 2022 on December 24 last year, remains June.

The wait time for the ES7 remains about 3 weeks. The model was launched on June 15, 2022, with first delivery on August 28, 2022.

The wait time for the new ES6 is still about 5 weeks, the model was launched on May 24 and deliveries started that night.

The wait time for the EC7 is about 4 weeks, the model was launched on NIO Day 2022 on December 24, 2022, and the first delivery was on April 28 this year.

The wait time for the ET7 is about 3 weeks. NIO launched the 2023 ET7 on the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18, with deliveries starting on May 19.

The wait time for the regular ET5 is about 3 weeks. The model was launched on NIO Day 2021 in December 2021, and the first delivery was on September 30, 2022.

($1 = RMB 7.1356)

NIO launches ET5 Touring in China with same pricing as regular ET5

(Screenshots on June 16.)

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NIO launches ET5 Touring and EL6 in Europe, deliveries to start in Q4

The ET5 Touring and EL6 are priced higher in Europe than in China due to factors including transportation costs, local taxes and operating costs.

(Image credit: )

Hours after the ET5 Touring was launched in China, NIO (NYSE: NIO) rolled out the model, as well as the EL6, known in China as the new ES6, in Europe.

Both models will be available in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Norway, and deliveries will both begin in the fourth quarter.

Including the battery, the ET5 Touring starts at 59,500 euros ($65,130) in Germany for the 75-kWh standard range version and 68,500 euros for the 100-kWh long-range version.

For reference, both versions of the ET5 Touring start at the same prices in China as the regular ET5, RMB 298,000 ($41,820) and RMB 356,000 respectively.

In the Netherlands, the starting price for the 75-kWh ET5 Touring is €63,900 ($69,930) and the 100-kWh version is €72,900.

They cost 706,000 SEK ($66,560) and 816,000 SEK in Sweden, 517,000 DKK ($75,950) and 637,000 DKK in Denmark, and 532,869 NOK ($50,740) and 620,619 NOK in Norway, respectively.

NIO ET5 Touring Price with Battery in Europe

NIO ET5GermanyNetherlandsSwedenDenmarkNorway
75-kWh59,500 EUR63,900 EUR706,000 SEK517,000 DKK532,869 NOK
100-kWh68,500 EUR72,900 EUR816,000 SEK637,000 DKK620,619 NOK

For the EL6, including the battery, the 75-kWh starts at €65,500 in Germany and €74,500 for the 100-kWh version. Because of the lawsuit with Audi, NIO's ES series models have been rebranded as the EL series in Europe.

The EL6 starts at €67,900 and €76,900 in the Netherlands, SEK 769,900 and SEK 879,000 in Sweden, DKK 547,000 and DKK 667,000 in Denmark, and NOK 595,016 and NOK 682,766 in Norway, respectively.

Including the battery, the starting price of the new 75-kWh ES6 in China is RMB 338,000, and RMB 396,000 for the 100-kWh version.

NIO EL6 Price with Battery in Europe

NlO EL6GermanyNetherlandsSwedenDenmarkNorway
75-kWh65,500 EUR67,900 EUR769,000 SEK547,000 DKK595,016 NOK
100-kWh74,500 EUR76,900 EUR879,000 SEK667,000 DKK682,766 NOK

NIO has previously said that the base prices of its models are essentially the same globally, with the difference being that they take into account factors including transportation costs, local taxes and operating costs in different regions.

If consumers choose to purchase the ET5 Touring or EL6 using the BaaS (battery as a service) model, the starting price in Germany is €12,000 lower for the 75-kWh version and €21,000 lower for the 100-kWh version.

It is worth noting that NIO's battery swap stations in Europe are only available to owners of vehicles purchased using the BaaS model. In China, these stations are available to all NIO consumers whether they purchase a model with batteries included or based on the BaaS model.

In addition to the purchase option, NIO also offers a subscription option in Europe. In Germany, for the EL6, if consumers choose a fixed-term subscription of 36 months, the monthly price is €1,179 for the 75-kWh version and €1,309 for the 100-kWh version.

($1 = RMB 7.1264, $1 = EUR 0.9136)

NIO launches ET5 Touring with same pricing as regular ET5

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NIO launches ET5 Touring with same pricing as regular ET5

Pricing for the ET5 Touring is identical to the regular ET5, with a starting price in China of RMB 298,000 including the battery, and deliveries will begin on June 16.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

(NYSE: NIO) has officially launched its highly anticipated new model, the ET5 Touring, and its price in China is a surprise.

The company launched the model today in an online launch event for consumers in China, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Deliveries in China will officially begin tomorrow, while delivery dates in Europe have not yet been announced.

The ET5 Touring launch was different from all previous NIO model launches in that it was the first product launch led by the European team and appears to be the shortest new model launch in its history.

NIO gave a brief overview of the ET5 Touring's exterior, interior and driving experience at this roughly 40-minute launch event, but didn't explain much more about its technical specifications.

This is understandable, after all, NIO's models come standard with dual motors and the same smart driving hardware, and it seems redundant to introduce them again.

Pricing for the ET5 Touring is identical to the regular ET5, starting at RMB 298,000 ($41,620) in China, including the battery.

This is surprising, as the model was previously generally seen as being RMB 10,000 to 20,000 more expensive than the regular ET5.

On June 12, NIO lowered the starting prices for all models by RMB 30,000 and made the battery swap service, which was previously free several times a month, a paid option.

The ET5 Touring is the first model released after NIO implemented the new pricing system, and the entry version comes with a 75-kWh battery pack. Its long-range version comes with a 100-kWh battery pack and starts at RMB 356,000 with the battery included.

Chinese consumers who choose to purchase the model using the BaaS (battery as a service) service will see the prices start at RMB 228,000 for both versions, with monthly battery rental costs of RMB 980 and RMB 1,680 respectively.

NIO ET5 Touring prices in China

VersionStarting Price with BatteryStarting Price under BaaSBaaS Monthly Battery Rental
75-kWh¥298,000¥228,000¥980
100-kWh¥356,000¥228,000¥1,680

NIO's advanced driver assistance systems NOP (Navigate on Pilot) Plus and NAD (NIO Autonomous Driving) are both subscription-based, priced at RMB 380 and RMB 680 per month respectively.

NIO began allowing consumers to lock in their orders for the ET5 Touring after the launch, and show cars and vehicles for test drives are already available at NIO's showrooms in China.

Chinese consumers who order the model now will receive 1 year of free use of NOP+ worth RMB 4,560.

Consumers who order the ET5 Touring on and before July 31 will receive a discount on options worth RMB 5,000.

NIO has started production of the ET5 Touring based on the designer's recommended configuration combinations, and its delivery will officially begin on June 16.

On June 11, CnEVPost experienced the ET5 Touring at a NIO House in Shanghai Pudong New Area, and found that it improved the most criticized areas on the regular ET5, except for the larger trunk space.

For the regular ET5, many owners complained about the high seating position in the driver's seat, which may have been a deterrent for some potential consumers to choose the model.

CnEVPost experienced the ET5 Touring and the regular ET5 at the NIO House and found that the driver's seat of the former can be adjusted significantly lower.

NIO currently offers the following benefits to the first owner of the ET5 Touring:

6-year or 150,000 km vehicle warranty. 10-year unlimited mileage warranty for battery, motor and electric control systems;

6 years free internet connectivity with 8GB of monthly traffic;

Lifetime free roadside assistance.

Consumers who order the model before July 31 can pay RMB 30,000 to receive the upgraded benefits package, which includes:

Free lifetime battery swap service, 4 times per month;

10-year unlimited mileage vehicle warranty

Free lifetime internet connectivity with 8GB of traffic per month;

Lifetime free roadside assistance.

In China, the NIO ET5 Touring's main competitor will be 's Zeekr 001, which is currently offered in four versions with starting prices of RMB 300,000, RMB 300,000, RMB 349,000 and RMB 386,000 respectively.

Zeekr delivered 8,678 vehicles in May, including the Zeekr 001 and the Zeekr 009 MPV. It did not release a breakdown of deliveries.

On June 12, Zeekr began deliveries of its third model, the Zeekr X, which starts at RMB 189,800.

($1 = RMB 7.1606)

Store visit: First impression of NIO ET5 Touring before official launch

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NIO ET5 Touring launch: Live updates

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

(NYSE: NIO) will officially launch the ET5 Touring today, with its launch event starting at 19:00 Beijing time, and CnEVPost will be updating the event's main content in real-time in this post.

Here is what is already known:

NIO starts accepting consumer reservations for the ET5 Touring in China on June 10, and its first deliveries will start tomorrow June 16.

NIO will hold the European launch of the model on June 16 at 1:00 am Beijing time (June 15 at 1:00 pm US Eastern time).

The ET5 Touring measures 4,790 mm in length, 1,960 mm in width and 1,499 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,888 mm, in line with the regular ET5 sedan, a previous regulatory filing show.

It is equipped with dual motors with a maximum power of 150 kW and 210 kW, respectively, and can support a top speed of 200 km/h.

Its battery suppliers include CALB, in addition to .

Below are the main contents of the NIO ET5 Touring launch event, with the latest at the top.

Including the battery, the starting price of the NIO ET5 Touring in China is RMB 298,000 ($41,620), which is the same as the starting price of the regular ET5.

NIO ET5 Touring will be available in China, Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway and Sweden.

The NIO China team began participating in the launch.

The ET5 Touring with a 100-kWh long-range battery pack has a WLTP range of up to 560 km.

The ET5 Touring is available in 10 exterior colors.

The ET5 Touring launch event began with the NIO Europe team introducing the model at the NIO House in Frankfurt.

This is the first time that NIO starts the launch of a new model with an international team presentation.

Store visit: First impression of NIO ET5 Touring before official launch

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NIO website shows countdown as ET5 Touring launch less than 8 hours away

Deliveries of the ET5 Touring in China will begin tomorrow, and management expects the model to enhance its competitiveness in the premium family car market.

NIO (NYSE: NIO) will hold a launch event for the ET5 Touring starting today at 19:00 Beijing time (7:00 am US Eastern time), and its official website is showing a countdown.

As of press time, the launch of the NIO ET5 Touring in China, themed "Journey Ahead," has 7 hours and 43 minutes to go. The delivery of the model in China will officially start tomorrow.

NIO's English website is also showing a countdown to the European launch event with the theme "Inspired By Life", which will start in 13 hours and 43 minutes.

The ET5 Touring will be the first NIO model to be launched at a global launch event. The company will hold the European launch of the model on June 16 at 1:00 am Beijing time (June 15 at 1:00 pm US Eastern time).

The ET5 Touring launch will be an event across six countries, NIO announced on June 10, when a post on the NIO App hinted that the model would be released to consumers in China, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany.

Below is a video posted today by the NIO App of the ET5 Touring on a track drive in Germany.

 

NIO began accepting pre-orders for the ET5 Touring in China on June 10, although the model's specifications and price have not yet been announced.

For the ET5 Touring, many expect that its starting price in China, including the battery, will likely be 10,000 yuan ($1,400) to 20,000 yuan higher than that of the regular ET5.

NIO lowered the starting prices for all models by RMB 30,000 on June 12 and made the battery swap service, which was previously free several times a month, a paid option.

Under the latest pricing system, the starting price for the regular ET5, including the battery, is reduced to RMB 298,000. If consumers choose to lease the battery using the BaaS (battery as a service) program, then the starting price of the vehicle is RMB 228,000.

On March 9, the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) announced the latest batch of models that will be allowed to be sold in China, and the NIO ET5 Touring was included in the list.

The model has a length, width and height of 4,790 mm, 1,960 mm and 1,499 mm respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,888 mm, in line with the ET5 sedan, according to the filing information.

It is equipped with dual motors produced by NIO's electric drive systems division in Hefei, Anhui province, with a maximum power of 150 kW and 210 kW, respectively, and can support a top speed of 200 km/h.

As with several other NIO models based on the NT 2.0 platform, the NIO ET5 Touring supports the option of a retractable electric tow hook, which can tow a maximum of 1,400 kg of caravan weight.

The model's battery supplier includes CALB in addition to , as do the new EC6, EC7, new ES8 and new ES6.

The ET5 Touring can meet the diverse use scenarios of individual and family users, greatly enhancing the company's competitiveness in the high-end family car market, William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO, said during a June 9 analyst call following the company's first-quarter earnings announcement.

($1 = RMB 7.1735)

Store visit: First impression of NIO ET5 Touring before official launch

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Tesla, NIO to take part in Shenzhen auto show starting Jun 16

This will be 's first presence at an auto show in China since April 2021, and will exhibit the ET5 Touring at the event and will hold a brief press conference on June 16.

(Image shows NIO's booth at the Shanghai auto show in April 2023. Credit: CnEVPost)

The southern Chinese city of Shenzhen will host an auto show starting this Friday, with Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and new Chinese carmakers including NIO (NYSE: NIO) participating.

The 2023 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area International Auto Show (Auto Shenzhen 2023) will be held at the Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center starting June 16, where Tesla is one of the main exhibitors, according to information released today by the show's organizers.

This will be Tesla's first participation in an auto show in China since the Shanghai auto show in April 2021.

On April 19, 2021, on the first day of the last Shanghai auto show, a female owner got on the roof of a car at the Tesla booth and accused Tesla of brake failure. As of today, the dispute is still ongoing.

Since the drama, Tesla has not participated in any more auto shows in China, including the 2023 Shanghai auto show two months ago.

June 16 is the media day for the upcoming show, and general admission will be available from June 17 to June 24.

Tesla's booth is located in Hall 9 on the 1st floor, next to 's (NYSE: XPEV) booth. The booths of -backed AITO, Smart, Leapmotor, Rising Auto, and Voyah are also in the area.

NIO will also be at the show and will be showcasing the ET5 Touring, according to the event's organizers.

The day before that show starts, NIO will launch the ET5 Touring in China on June 15, with its launch event starting at 19:00 Beijing time. The company will also launch the ET5 Touring and the new ES6 in Europe a few hours later on the same day.

NIO's booth at the Shenzhen auto show is in Hall 3, near the booths of Bentley and Lotus. The company will hold a press conference at the show on June 16 from 10:00 to 10:30.

The last show, Auto Shenzhen 2022, started on May 28, 2022 and ran through June 5. It was the first auto show in China last year.

NIO's booth at Auto Shenzhen last year was also in Hall 3, a two-floor area where the first floor displayed the full range of models, a transparent second-generation battery swap station and NIO Power's products. The second floor includes a relaxation area, NIO Cafe, and Joy Camp.

In addition to Tesla, NIO and XPeng, new energy vehicle (NEV) makers including (OTCMKTS: BYDDY), (NASDAQ: LI) and will also participate in Auto Shenzhen 2023.

Store visit: First impression of NIO ET5 Touring before official launch

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NIO denies after rumors of partnership with Mercedes-Benz swirl

A fake rumor yesterday claimed that Mercedes-Benz will use 's battery swap network and will build its next-generation models based on NIO's standards.

(Image credit: CnEVPost)

Rumors about a partnership between NIO (NYSE: NIO) and German luxury car maker Mercedes-Benz were widely circulated on Chinese social media networks yesterday. But this was later denied.

One of the most widely circulated was an image with text claiming that Mercedes-Benz would use NIO's battery swap network and would build next-generation battery swap-enabled models based on NIO's standards.

In the comments section of a Weibo user's post sharing the image, NIO's legal department left a message later yesterday saying the image was a forgery.

Ma Lin, NIO's senior director of corporate communications, later retweeted the message. As of press time, the Weibo post has been deleted.

CnEVPost saw the image yesterday in several WeChat groups, as well as a chat transcript claiming that NIO had entered into a partnership with Mercedes-Benz.

The image mimics the style of the NIO App page and the company's statement, but the publisher of the false statement does not exist among NIO App users.

These false rumors appear at an interesting point in time, making it particularly noticeable.

On June 12, NIO announced an immediate RMB 30,000 ($4,200) reduction in the starting prices of all new models, but the previously free monthly battery swap service became a paid option.

On the same evening, NIO held a communication meeting with its customers and broadcasted the meeting live on its social media platforms.

William Li, NIO's founder, chairman and CEO, said in response to a question during the communication that several companies are now talking to NIO about using its battery swap network, according to the live stream watched by CnEVPost.

However, they will need to develop vehicles to NIO's battery swap standard, which takes time, Li said.

It's worth noting that these statements are not materially different from previous comments made by NIO management, which Li also said at the communication that they were diplomatic.

Li last mentioned similar remarks two months ago, when he said in an April 1 media group interview during the China EV 100 Forum that NIO wants other companies to share and build battery swap infrastructure with it.

"I met with several company executives today and they asked me how we could work together, and we're open to that," he said on April 1.

NIO refers to its battery swap model as battery as a service (BaaS), an innovation that can be understood through the lens of cloud services, Li said at the time.

The cloud services around the world, whether they are offered by Microsoft, Google and Amazon in the US or Alibaba, Tencent and in China, they all have one thing in common -- the companies themselves are the primary users, he said.

Despite frequent rumors over the past two years, as of yet no other car company has said it will use NIO's battery swap network.

In addition to the NIO brand, another brand that will use these battery swap stations will be the company's sub-brand, codenamed ALPS, which is expected to start delivering vehicles next year.

NIO's current plants can support the production of vehicles under both NIO and ALPS brands, and no major Capex investment is required, Li said in a June 9 analyst call following the announcement of first-quarter earnings.

Current battery swap stations are sufficient for both brands to share, he said.

($1 = RMB 7.1639)

NIO's battery swap network open to other brands, just like cloud service, says William Li

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