NIO is setting up a battery asset management company to sell or lease batteries separately. CATL is reported to be a potential investor among others.
Chinses EV startup NIO is setting up a battery asset management company this coming August. This initiative will further separate the battery from the electric vehicle as an independent asset for the customers to buy or rent, according to people familiar with the company. Among the potential investors of the newly found company, CATL, the largest automotive lithium-ion battery maker in China, is reported to have shown strong interest. Other investors may include some large-scale energy funds.
Featuring battery swap technology, NIO has always been trying to provide more flexible batteries leasing plans for its customers to meet different needs, in which way it can significantly bring down the vehicles' selling price. Reportedly, the company will provide several monthly rental packages in different battery capacities and at different prices.
Industry analysts are also speculating that NIO's battery services will be available to other EV brands. Since the Chinese government has released a series of favorable policies encouraging the construction of battery swapping stations, automakers as Geely and SAIC are all planning to launch swap-friendly battery models soon.