Shanghai (ZXZC)- NIO and Red Star Macalline, a leading Chinese furniture retailer, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement on Feb. 2 to jointly build EV charging and battery swapping stations.

NIO, Red Star Macalline signing agreement; photo credit: NIO

Under the agreement, two parties will co-build 60 EV charging and battery swapping stations in 2021. The furniture retailer will support NIO in construction site and online operation, so as to help the EV maker significantly improve its energy supply service quality.

NIO, Red Star Macalline signing agreement; photo credit: NIO

“Through the strategic cooperation, NIO will accelerate the deployment of energy supply business, further facilitating users in EV charging and battery swaps”, said Shen Fei, vice president of NIO.

NIO built 7 battery swapping stations in January 2020 and plans to launch another 12 before the Chinese New Year, according to a local media outlet.

At the NIO Day held in early Jan., NIO launched its 150kWh battery pack and second-generation battery swapping station.

The newly-unveiled battery pack employs the solid-state battery technology, boasting an ultra-high energy density of 360Wh/kg thanks to the in-situ solidification hybrid electrolyte, the inorganic pre-lithium Si/C composite anode and the nao-coating nickel-ultrarich cathode. This battery would increase the range of the new ES8 to 850 km, the ES6 to 900 km, the EC6 to 910 km and the ET7 to 1,000 plus km.

NIO's second-generation battery swapping station can accommodate 13 batteries, allowing for up to 312 swap services per day. Additionally, NIO EVs are able to automatically park into the station. NIO said it expects the number of its battery swapping stations in China to total 500 by 2021.

The startup attempts to newly deploy 300 second-generation battery swapping stations this year, according to Qin Lihong, co-founder and president of NIO.