Nio takes delivery of 150kWh battery pack components, capable of 600+ mile range

Nio’s battery supplier WeLion has delivered the first of its advanced battery cells to the Chinese electric car maker. Nio had promised to start deliveries of EVs with its 150kWh battery packs in the first half of this year after revising deadlines. And, shock horror, it’s actually happening.

The semi-solid-state battery cells are more energy dense than those before it. Featuring a solid electrolyte, a silicon graphite composition anode and a nickel-heavy cathode, the cells have an energy density of 360Wh/kg. To give that some context, Tesla’s 4680-cell battery – considered the best on the market for a long time – has 272-296Wh/kg.

The more remarkable feature is that vehicles fitted with the new pack, according to China News EV Post, weigh ‘only 20 kilos more than before’.

The Nio ET7 is one of the models expected to feature a giant battery, capable of over 600 miles of range on one charge. It’s a veritable challenger to the Mercedes EQXX and Lucid Air, set to arrive in Europe later in the summer.

The ET7 is considered a direct rival to Tesla’s Model S saloon. Yet, if range claims are officially acknowledged by the WTLP, Nio could leave the US EV maker, Polestar and Merc – where the 2 and EQS boast over 400 miles – behind at the charging hub.

Qin Lihong, president of Nio, has commented that the pack won’t be cheap, stating that costs are equivalent to the ET5, one of the models coming to Europe. All Nio battery packs are capable of charging via a cable and also being swapped out, but WeLion executives are keen to point out Nio isn’t its only customer.

That leaves us wondering if range anxiety is finally going to be a thing of the past. What do you think?