Expanding on its European presence, Chinese EV maker Nio has opened an innovation center in Berlin. It will be the hub for five teams focusing on digital technology. Nio is on a roll, as it also starts offering semi-solid-state batteries of 150 kW in China.

As the automotive industry is gearing up for software-defined vehicles built around the starting point of a software platform instead of a mechanical architecture, Nio is joining the bandwagon with its new Berlin-based innovation center.

Free from recalls

Of course, the company already relies on over-the-air updates for its current range and has asserted that it performed over 80 firmware over-the-air updates (FOTA) during the past five years.

According to the brand, these system-level upgrades introduced 450 new functions, which also points out that firmware updates, enabling the reconfiguration of power, safety systems, comfort items, and so on, are only on the menu of a few car brands worldwide.

The company also claimed it never had to recall a car on software issues, which is a noteworthy achievement, as reliability checker JD Powers unveiled in this year’s dependability study that cars were increasingly becoming unreliable over software glitches.

Nerve center for swapping stations

As the centric role of the digital platform from Nio, called Banyan Smart System, is set to grow significantly, the Berlin team must add its expertise and results. The hub houses five subdivisions, which are quite self-explanatory: Digital Systems, Digital Development, Digital Cockpit, Autonomous Driving, and Power.

Choosing Berlin was a no-brainer for the company, as the German capital attracts digital talent as a magnet. The center’s focus lies on European customers. Supplementing the design center in Münich, the new investment in R&D signals Nio’s long-term EU commitment.

Interestingly, the Nio Innovation Center is also the company’s swapping network headquarters. Nio’s unique selling point is that customers can recharge in mere minutes by exchanging their packs in dedicated stations, already deployed in the Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands.

The Power team will provide an intelligent charging app to customers to better benefit from off-peak tariffs, further elaborate the charging cost assistance, and guide the roll-out.

Solid-state by subscription

Over in its homeland, Nio set a completely different milestone by taking delivery of their first semi-solid-state battery packs from Chinese pioneer WeLion. This confirms an earlier filing leaking the availability as of summer 2023.

It’s a prestige project, as the 150 kWh lithium-ion pack, made available first in the SUV ES6, is an expensive kit, costing around 298 000 yuan (37 814 euros). Customers can drive the car only by subscription, with a buy-out option to follow later.

Officially, the ES6 is the first electric car to feature solid-sate technology, although in an intermediary phase, as the semi-approach combines features from traditional and solid-state batteries.

The mixture provides more stability and higher safety while there’s less impact on weight. Despite its bigger size, the solid-state version has a relatively small weight penalty while giving a range of approximately 930 kilometers.

As a pioneer in solid-state batteries, WeLion started production of solid-state cells in its Huzhou facility in November 2022. Both firms have been co-developing the technology, but the market introduction has been delayed several times. Nio showcased the pack from WeLion for the first time in January 2021, when it took the wraps from its flagship model ET7.