Chinese EV brand Nio will only launch in the UK once it has the infrastructure in place to offer a “fantastic” user experience – including a number of its innovative battery swap stations.
That’s according to Nio UK boss Matt Galvin, who told Autocar that discussions were ongoing with potential service partners and for sites for the Power Swap battery change stations.
Nio expanded into Europe in late 2021 and is currently active in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. Autocar understands that 2024 has been targeted for a launch in the UK.
But asked about the date, Galvin said: “We’re extremely keen to launch but we want to make sure we only launch when we’re ready, and we have the cars, partners that can service the cars and the ability to offer a great community experience.
“The benefit of being in the second wave of expansion is that we can learn from the initial European launch. We’ve learned how important infrastructure is, and that preparation in that area is key to making sure we offer a user experience that is fantastic from day one.”
As with other European markets, Nio will operate a direct sales model in the UK, with online purchases supported by a number of Nio Stores where customers can see and test cars, and Galvin said talks were ongoing with partners to ensure servicing arrangements were in place.
Galvin added that the firm was committed to having a number of Power Swap stations, which can swap a battery pack in a Nio car for a new one in under five minutes. Galvin said that other European markets have shown “just how important Power Swap is as a differentiating factor”.
One challenge for Nio in Europe has been the speed with which it can secure locations for Power Swap stations. While the process of securing permits can take weeks in China, the paperwork has taken several months in Germany. There are also challenges in the UK with securing both sites and grid connections.