Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Nio’s sub-brand, Onvo, announced on its official app in China on Saturday that it aims to establish over 1,000 compatible battery swap stations by the end of the year and expand the network to 2,000 by April 2025, according to a newly released customer Q&A.
Nio started earlier this year upgrading its third-generation stations across China allowing Onvo customers to swap the car batteries there. Fourth-generation stations, the latest and most advanced ones, are also being deployed as the company approaches 59 million battery swaps provided over the last six years.
As not all the stations are filled with the maximum number of batteries, Onvo clarified that “available batteries are prioritized for vehicle deliveries.”
“Currently, available batteries are prioritized for vehicle deliveries. The number of batteries in swap stations will be dynamically adjusted based on the number of delivered vehicles and user needs to ensure a continuously improving battery swap experience,” the company said in the Q&A.
Asked a question about L60’s charging speed, which uses a 900V high-voltage platform, Onvo said that —under standard conditions at 25°C— it takes 25 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%.
Since battery swaps are available, we prioritized battery health over pursuing extreme charge/discharge rates. Charging speed also depends on the charger. High-powered chargers are faster, but in stations with multiple chargers, simultaneous charging of more than two or three vehicles can lead to power distribution, reducing charging speed.
The charging speed of the Onvo L60 is optimized for battery health. If speed is the priority, battery swapping only takes 2 minutes and 40 seconds, faster than charging any EV. Each swap includes a health check for the battery, alleviating concerns about battery degradation.
Earlier this week, Onvo‘s president Alan Ai Tiecheng, challenged anyone who doubted the brand would deliver 10,000 units of the Onvo L60 SUV in December to bet an L60 with him. The model starts at 206,900 yuan, equivalent to $28,570.
On Friday, the executive returned to Weibo to say that “no one has accepted the challenge” showing “that everyone is quite confident in our ability to achieve the goal.”
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
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