Written by Cláudio Afonso | [email protected] | LinkedIn | Twitter

The electric vehicle maker NIO hosted on Thursday morning a communication event with some NIO users in Hefei where they had the opportunity to ask the management team some questions.

The questions regarded the 2022 versions of the older models, the AR Glasses, the upcoming Sub-Brand, the construction pace of the Battery Swap Stations, ET5 model, and much more.

When answering about the Battery Swap Stations, NIO‘s CEO started by enhancing the effects of the pandemic during the last months on the production.

“The layout of the power station has been greatly affected by the epidemic in Shanghai this year. The production plant of the power station was directly unable to produce due to the epidemic. It’s true that it [the pace of new BSS in China] didn’t meet expectations, but it’s not that it doesn’t make sense at the moment,” William Li said.

In addition, NIO‘s CEO reiterated the company’s goal of achieving 1,300 Battery Swap Stations worldwide by the end of the year and confirmed the plan to have a plant to build these facilities in Europe.

The event was broadcasted live on NIO App and EV recorded the Q&A session, which you can watch below.

As initially reported by EV on April 15, the EV maker started looking for a EU Plant Manager in Hungary last April. The company aims to produce Battery Swap Stations (BSS) and Charging Piles in Europe to avoid exporting costs from China. The position is located in Budapest (Hungary) suggesting that the company could build/ buy a factory there in the upcoming months and establish its European BSS production centre in the country.

“With NIO Power products (Power Swap Station / Charging Pile) going to EU market, we are looking for an EU Plant Manager (w/m/d) to work with NIO China team to establish a plant in EU.” — the company said.

Among the main tasks, the European Plant Manager will establish the plant to make sure facilities, layout and capability are well designed and installed. The candidate will also build up and develop operation function team, including MFG, process, quality, supply chain, warehouse, etc,.

NIO hosted on Wednesday morning a product launch event where it unveiled a new medium five-seater SUV with an NT2.0 platform, NIO ES7. The model was rated a five-star safety of C-NCAP and Euro NCAP tests, a Cd of 0.263 and a tarting price of RMB 468,000 ($69,700 USD).

As initially reported by EV, the company opened the reservations immediately after the event via NIO App and the deliveries are schedule to start on August 28, only 70 days after the official launch.

On the first day of June, NIO reported 7,024 vehicles delivered in May showing an increase year-over-year and also from the previous month, when delivered 5,074 units. On NIO App, William Li answered to customers and enthusiasts saying “Thank you all! We will continue to work hard in June”.

Written by Cláudio Afonso | [email protected] | LinkedIn | Twitter