Nio set a new daily battery swap record just two days after the previous record high

The Chinese EV maker set a new daily battery swap record two days after the previous record high was reached during the Chinese New Year travel rush. The automaker shared that its 3,750 stations performed 158,290 battery swaps in 24 hours on February 18 

Nio performed 158,290 battery swaps in 24 hours on February 18

The previous record was set on February 16 with 146,549 battery swaps. Nio shared that its battery swap station (Power Swap Station, PSS) network performed around 6,595 replacements per hour. It is striking 110 swaps per minute. All three PSS with the highest battery replacement numbers are located on highways. It isn’t surprising, as the travel rush continues in China with many people returning to their hometowns to spend time with their families. 

The highway’s battery swap station near Fuzhou, Fujian, performed 166 swaps in 24 hours. This swap number is impressive. However, the latest fourth-generation PSS can handle 480 swaps daily. It takes around three minutes to replace a depleted battery with a charged one. 

It is worth noting that the peak of the Chinese travel rush has yet to come. It is expected to happen on February 22, with traffic reaching 71 million cars. It won’t be surprising if we see another record high from Nio. 

Nio has deployed over 1,000 swap stations across China positioned along highways, with the network covering what Nio calls the “9 Vertical, 11 Horizontal, and 16 Major City Clusters,” connecting 550 cities nationwide. 

Nio battery swap station

The company’s “County-to-County” initiative has achieved full coverage across nine provinces, with the network extending to remote routes including the famous G318 Sichuan-Tibet highway in 2025, significantly enhancing travel convenience for Nio vehicle owners in previously underserved areas.

The interconnected nature of these achievements indicates Nio’s battery swap network is transitioning from a cost centre to a strategic advantage, with the company’s “Chargeable, Swappable, Upgradable” philosophy gaining credibility through demonstrated stability and sustainability across massive usage volumes. 

As Nio moves toward sustained profitability, the inherent advantages of battery swapping—convenience, safety, and sustainability—are becoming increasingly apparent to a growing audience of industry observers and potential customers.