Shanghai (ZXZC)- NIO China's Hefei-based headquarters was officially put into operation on October 9, NIO announced via its Sina Weibo account, a Twitter-like social media platform in China.

(Photo source: NIO)

In April 2020, NIO entered into definitive agreements with a group of investors in Hefei (collectively, the “Hefei Strategic Investors”) in connection with the strategic investments into NIO China. Under these agreements, the strategic investors, led by Hefei City Construction and Investment Holding (Group) Co., Ltd., CMG-SDIC Capital Co., Ltd., and Anhui Provincial Emerging Industry Investment Co., Ltd., would pump cash into NIO (Anhui) Holding Ltd., the legal entity of NIO China. NIO said it would imbue NIO China with its core businesses and assets in China, involving complete vehicle R&D, supply chain, sales & service, as well as NIO Power.

In the meantime, NIO struck a deal with the local government of Hefei Economic and Technological Development Area (HETA) for the establishment of NIO China's headquarters.

The EV startup said NIO China's businesses, including the complete vehicle R&D, supply chain, sale & service as well as NIO Power, are well underway. NIO and its contractual manufacturer JAC Motors have already initiated the expansion project of the JAC-NIO Advanced Manufacturing Center. Following the launch of NIO China's headquarters, NIO will expand its talent group in Hefei and strengthen its cooperation with local supply chain of the Anhui's capital.

The operation of NIO China's headquarters will press ahead with the strategic cooperation between NIO and Hefei. “NIO China will strive to help Hefei's NEV industry engaged in global competition and assist Hefei with building a world-class industrial cluster,” said William Bin Li, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of NIO.

To consolidate Hefei's leadership in the field of intelligent vehicle-related charging and battery-swapping networks, NIO will work with Hefei Charge, a subsidiary of Hefei Construction Investment and Holding Co., Ltd., on popularizing and constructing battery swapping facilities. Both parties have to-day determined the locations for building 20 battery swapping stations, the first batch of facilities which are set to be launched in 2020 and 2021.