Update: The title and content have been fine-tuned based on the content of Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

Nio has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Guangdong Tongyi, which operates 352 service areas, to build 28 swap stations in highway service areas by the end of 2022.

(Image credit: Nio)

Nio on Monday signed a strategic partnership agreement with a highway service area operator in Guangdong, paving the way for the expansion of its battery swap network along highways.

The company signed the agreement with Guangdong Tongyi Expressway Service Co Ltd, which operates 352 service areas, at an Nio House in Guangzhou, according to an announcement by Nio on its app.

The two sides will cooperate around energy replenishment layout and highway service area construction, which will enable resource sharing and establish a deep strategic partnership for sustainable development, Nio's announcement said.

Nio is the first vehicle company to sign a strategic partnership with Guangdong Tongyi. The two will actively explore innovation in highway integrated energy service stations and work together to provide more convenient capacity replenishment services for users' travel in the Greater Bay Area, Nio said.

Nio's announcement did not mention plans to build battery swap stations, but according to a subsequent report in the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, the two companies will build 28 battery swap stations in highway service areas by the end of 2022.

Nio currently has 90 battery swap stations in Guangdong, 13 of which are located along highways and 11 in service areas.

As of November 22, Nio had 636 swap stations in China, 130 of which are located along highways. It also has 483 supercharging stations offering 2,820 supercharging piles, and 579 destination charging stations offering 3,238 piles.

In late September, Nio announced that it would complete its battery swap network covering eight major freeways and four densely populated metropolitan areas by early February when the Chinese New Year holiday comes.

William Li, Nio's founder, chairman and CEO, said at the time that the company planned to increase the number of battery swap stations along the highways to 169 by the Chinese New Year.