Nio unveils cutting-edge battery tech: 4th-gen swap station and 640-kW DC charger

Nio had its busiest Nio Day ever with the unveiling of its new flagship, the ET9. But the ET9 wasn't the only news - the company has upped the ante with its latest revelations in the charging tech department. Nio introduced a fourth-generation battery swap station and a robust 640-kW DC charger, complemented by ambitious installation targets for 2024.

As if its current achievement weren't enough, Nio plans to deploy 1,000 more battery swap stations and another 20,000 charging piles across China by the end of 2024. The upgraded battery swap station steals the spotlight with 23 battery bays, providing 480 services per day and reducing service time by 22 percent. Utilizing four Nvidia Orin X chips with six ultra-wide angle LiDARs, these stations boast a computing power of 1,016 Tops, promising a seamless and efficient experience.

The next-gen stations are designed to accommodate multi-size battery packs and offer support for multi-brand shared battery swap services. Adding an eco-friendly touch, Nio plans to equip these stations with a 60-square-meter photovoltaic system, aiming to save nearly 18,000 kWh of electricity annually per station. Installation is set to kick off in April 2024.

Nio's third-generation battery swap station, currently in deployment, has already shown impressive results. With the capacity to store up to 21 battery packs, it increased service capacity by 30 percent compared to its predecessor. Vehicles can now undergo a battery change in as little as 2 minutes and 30 seconds, 20 percent faster than the previous generation. Two LiDARs and two NVIDIA Orin chips power the third-gen station, totaling a computing power of 508 Tops.

In tandem with the battery swap innovation, Nio unveiled the fourth generation of its supercharger pile, boasting a peak power of 640 kW, a current output of 765 A, and a voltage output of 1,000 V. Weighing a mere 5.3 lb, claimed to be the lightest in the industry, the liquid-cooled charging gun cable enhances efficiency, allowing for intelligent distribution of charging power and maximizing overall charging efficiency.

Nio's proactive approach includes plans to install the new superchargers in April 2024, with the current 500-kW charging piles already making strides since their introduction in March 2023. These charging piles, capable of charging from 10 percent to 80 percent in as little as 12 minutes for 800 V platforms or 20 minutes for 400 V models, set a high benchmark for fast and efficient charging.

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