NIO day summary

NIO started deploying swap stations in 2018, and the three models they currently sell already use the same battery format for it. They also have a battery leasing option; Battery as a Service(BaaS) is what NIO calls it, and it is technically not a lease as you aren't stuck with the one pack. Which might be popular, as the cheapest model starts at $54k. Details are sparse in English on how the pricing for this all works out.

With different rates for different pack sizes, I don't see the company giving someone paying for a 70/75 kWH pack a 100 kWh one. So the reverse isn't likely. Unless the users rate changes with the battery size. Which may be of advantage to some in allowing having to only pay the higher monthly fee during times of longer travel. But then NIO has yearly plans for lower cost. Answers are likely buried in contract fine print. I'm curious on how it works, but not enough to do the work. I'm guessing battery swapping isn't available to those that actually bought their car's battery.

NIO is also using a wireless BMS system like GM is in their Ultium packs. What they are going might be new to China, but it isn't in the world.

I have never seen battery swapping working out for personal cars. I am also leery of having my car's battery be used for grid balancing, so don't see NIO's stations having idle packs as a disadvantage. Also never a fan of battery leasing. Early on, it had a financial advantage that helped BEV adoption, but we are approaching the point where that isn't needed.

Now, if the 150kWh solid state packs are BaaS only, NIO can bring them to market before everyone else, and pull out failing packs before they hinder customers. Sounds like the fuel cell car plan, except solid state batteries already appear closer to being ready. Having packs being abused by customers in larger numbers may give NIO an R&D edge.

On the abuse front of the current tech packs, that could limited be design and software controls. Then NIO might already have plans for such packs that need to be pulled from auto use.

NIO - NIO Launches the 100 kWh Battery with Flexible Battery Upgrade Plans
Nio Presents New 100 kWh Battery Pack And Battery Upgrade Plans
Nio unveils 100 kWh battery with cell-to-pack design and lets owners upgrade if they want - Electrek
NIO (car company) - Wikipedia

PS - Tesla also got out of battery swapping because CARB nixed it for the fast fueling ZEV credits. Tesla may not have truly believed in swapping at the time, but different conditions may have lead to a different outcome. In addition to ZEV credits, more people may have chosen swapping if Supercharging had switched to a fee service back then.

 

Bob - remember the fuel-cell lobby trying to glean all the credits for their self by structuring laws that made credits contingent upon fast refueling? And the model S swap station work off the stock Model S? iirc - although the model Y and 3 are not swappable, it's likely the X & S still are - at least until any major design changes. In the meantime, the model S has a 400+ mile range with its roughly 100kwh traction pack
.