Nio will hold back UK launch to develop battery swap stations

Nio won't launch in the UK until it has developed the infrastructure to offer battery swaps, the company's UK managing director has confirmed.

Speaking to Autocar, Matt Galvin outlined that the brand's strategy was to wait until it had the infrastructure in place in the UK to offer a "fantastic" user experience.

Nio's USP is its Power Swap battery swap stations, which enable drivers to exchange their depleted battery for a fully charged one in less than five minutes.

In China, Nio has installed more than 1,200 Power Swap stations. 

Nio is currently rolling out a network of stations in Norway, the Netherlands and Germany.

Earlier this year, the brand unveiled a new electric estate and an electric SUV that will form part of its European line-up.

The ET5 will rival the BMW i5 Touring and offers a range of 270 - 350 miles, depending on variant. The EL6 will go head-to-head with the Audi Q8 e-tron and can cover 300 miles between charges.

Nio also appointed Marc Samuel as its national fleet sales manager.

Galvin told Autocar: “We’re extremely keen to launch but we want to make sure we only launch when we’re ready, and we have the cars, partners that can service the cars and the ability to offer a great community experience."

He added that preparation is key to making sure the brand can "offer a user experience that is fantastic from day one".