Syensqo said it and Nio will work together to advance the application and development of more advanced materials for NEVs.

Nio (NYSE: NIO) and Belgian chemicals maker Syensqo have set up a joint lab to explore more advanced materials for electric vehicles (EVs).

Syensqo announced in a July 2 statement that the joint lab was established on June 28 and is located at the Nio Nanxiang delivery center in Jiading, Shanghai, which was visited by Syensqo CEO Ilham Kadri.

The development was not previously reported in the media, and Nio did not announce it on its social media channels.

Syensqo Asia CEO Chen Pu and Nio assistant vice president Wang Huizhang signed a collaboration agreement for the joint lab.

The two companies will focus on the research and development of innovative materials, as well as the research and validation of product applications, the statement by Syensqo said.

The companies will work together to advance the application and development of more advanced new energy vehicle (NEV) materials, the Belgian chemicals maker said.

Syensqo's collaboration with Nio, which began in 2021, focuses on product development for electric motors and electronic control systems.

The two companies will utilize the joint lab to collaborate and communicate more closely to improve development efficiency and reduce development costs, Syensqo said.

The collaboration also aims to enhance the technical capabilities of both companies for the development and validation of materials related to NEVs, especially electric drives and high-voltage systems, according to the statement.

Syensqo is a specialty chemicals business that was spun off in December 2023 from Belgian chemicals group Solvay SA.

The partnership is Nio's latest endeavor in the exploration of new materials.

On October 18, 2021, Nio announced that it had successfully validated the development of heat-treatment-free materials that can be used in the manufacture of large die castings, a first for a Chinese automotive company.

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