Geely partners with Nio to develop rapid battery exchange technology
Geely, a Chinese automotive giant, has shown its support for rapid battery swap technology, a growing alternative to traditional charging systems. The company is joining forces with Nio, the pioneer of this solution.
9:26 AM EST, December 2, 2023
Geely is the owner of brands like Volvo, Lotus, and Zeekr. Now, they're creating a strategic partnership with Nio, an electric car manufacturer that promotes rapid battery swap systems.
The goal shared by both companies is to collaboratively develop and enhance this system, potentially making it a serious competitor to traditional charging methods. The premise is uncomplicated: users simply visit a rapid exchange station where their depleted battery is replaced with a fully charged one. This method is gaining popularity due to the time it saves compared to conventional charging.
Until recently, adoption of this technology was limited because rapid swap stations were primarily accessible for Nio cars. However, both companies aim to standardize the system and modify future models to allow Geely customers to benefit from it as well.
In the long term, their collaboration aims to completely standardize the battery swap system and facilitate the establishment of hundreds of new stations. Geely has set a target of 5,000 such stations before the end of 2025.
It's feasible that other brands might follow Geely and Nio's lead in the future. The growing momentum of this initially skeptically received Chinese innovation is certainly encouraging.
