Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
EV maker Nio, founded in 2014, has been investing in battery swap technology since its inception.
Its first-ever battery swap station opened in Shenzhen in May 2018. Since then, the EV maker has built more than 3,100 stations, with the majority added in the past two years.
As of this writing, the company has completed over 66 million battery swaps. However, as advancements in battery and charging technologies have significantly reduced charging times, some automakers remain cautious about the long-term necessity of battery swapping.
In a text titled “What are the advantages of charging compared to battery swapping?”, an undisclosed EV maker questioned Nio’s vice president of the Power unit, Shen Fei, about the benefits of battery swapping over conventional charging.
Although the automaker was not explicitly named, Tesla was mentioned multiple times in both the letter and Shen’s response, which he shared on his Weibo account on Saturday.
In the letter, the automaker raised concerns about technological advancements, safety, and the investment required for each new battery swap station.
“Battery swapping is always an intermediate process. You always have to go somewhere to do something specifically for another purpose—just like going to a gas station to refuel,” the brand claimed before noting that charging “can be a destination or a stop along the way.”
“After you park, you don’t need any extra steps. You just plug in the charger, and by the time you’re ready to leave, the battery is charged,” the statement added.
Below is the translation of the three reasons pointed out by Tesla in the letter.
“Tesla had highly advanced battery swapping technology, but after testing it, we abandoned it for three reasons:
1. Technological iteration: Battery technology is constantly evolving. Tesla integrates the battery into the vehicle chassis, reducing weight and improving efficiency. However, the structural constraints of battery swapping prevent flexibility in adapting new battery technologies.
2. Safety concerns: Battery swapping requires frequent disassembly and installation of high-voltage components and fasteners. Doesn’t this pose safety risks? While we don’t know for certain, it is worth considering. Additionally, Tesla treats the battery as an integral structural component of the vehicle, which enhances safety.
3. Cost control: Every battery swap station is like a real estate investment—you have to rent or buy land. However, with charging, existing parking lots can be used without additional infrastructure costs.”
Nio’s vice president of the Power unit shared a picture of Tesla’s letter, stating, “Received a ‘battery swapping’ talking points card from a competitor—quite interesting!” followed by a laughing emoji.
A decade ago, Tesla demonstrated an automatic battery swap using a Model S and Model X. In 2021, years after abandoning the concept, a Tesla spokesperson stated that the company views charging as the optimal way to power its vehicles, arguing that battery swapping is problematic and not viable for widescale adoption.
The executive started his answer by clarifying that the battery swap technology comes on top of the charging option, and not as a sole option for customers.
“Here are the real facts: Battery swapping and charging are not in conflict! Nio offers “chargeable, swappable, and upgradeable” options,” he stated.
Shen Fei continued commenting that Nio also supports home charging while noting that battery swap allows drivers to get a new battery in 3 minutes instead of facing a longer charging session.
“Charging at home is great (Nio supports that too), but for long trips or when home charging isn’t available, a 3-minute battery swap gets you back on the road—much faster than charging!” the executive noted. “No need to step out in the wind or rain.”
“Nio has installed over 20,000 charging piles across China—Tesla users even use them! But battery swapping is our unique advantage, specifically designed to eliminate range anxiety,” he added.
On the second point, Shen Fei focused on the “technology upgrades” allowing “initial Nio owners to also benefit!”
“A gas car’s engine remains the same after 10 years, but a Nio car from 2018 can now use the latest battery, doubling its range!” he stated.
“Integrated battery and chassis? Pros and cons! If the battery breaks, repairs can be insanely expensive,” Fei Shen defended before adding that with swapping, drivers “get both an upgrade and an easy fix without replacing everything.”
3. Safety? Nio’s battery swapping is more reliable than you think!
Commenting on safety, Fei Shen said Nio’s “battery swap fasteners hold a national patent—3,000 swaps without loosening, good for 600,000 km,” adding that “every swap includes a battery check-up, detecting small issues early and significantly reducing fire risks!”
The executive continued noting that Nio’s smallest sedan, the ET5, has a “30% stronger body” when compared to the Tesla Model 3 adding it “has top safety ratings in both China and Europe. Swapping doesn’t compromise safety—it actually enhances peace of mind.”
In his last point, Shen Fei Battery defended that “swap stations are actually more resource-efficient,” saying that while charging piles “are only useful when a car is plugged in—when idle, they do nothing,” the swap stations “charge batteries 24/7, making them at least 3x more efficient!”
“They also help balance the power grid, utilizing wind and solar energy while reducing electricity waste,” he executive added before concluding that battery swapping isn’t “redundant”—it makes EVs as convenient as gas cars while keeping them up to date with the latest technology.”
Nio’s VP stated “Tesla didn’t make it work back then because American and Chinese consumer needs are different,” adding “But we have Nio, and when it comes to battery swapping, China just does it better!”
Network Expansion
Nio founder and CEO William Li said on Weibo last week that 2025 will be a major year for the battery swap network’s expansion.
Over the last two years, the Shanghai-based EV maker has signed several partnerships with other Chinese carmakers allowing them to develop electric models that can use its battery swap stations.
First Station Outside China & Europe
The company reportedly is set to open its first battery swap station in the Middle East on February 26. The station will be located at the Yas Marina F1 Circuit in the United Arab Emirates, about 30 minutes from Abu Dhabi, Nio’s expansion manager Geir Nevjen said in September.