On May 13, according to 52RD, it was reported on May 12 that NIO’s electric car with a 1000km battery range is finally coming. It does not use CATL Kirin battery, but a self-developed semi-solid state battery.

According to the latest announcement from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, NIO will start using semi-solid batteries for three models. The battery suppliers for these three vehicles have all added a wholly-owned subsidiary of Weilan New Energy, which is the company that develops and produces semi-solid batteries.

Although the sales names of these three cars have not been disclosed, at least it is known that these three cars include a sedan and two SUVs, and the sedan is basically confirmed to be ET7. The information shows that two new companies have been added to the battery supplier: Huzhou Weilan Technology Co., Ltd. and Weiran (Nanjing) Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd., the former is responsible for providing batteries, and the latter is responsible for assembly.

At the end of last year, Weilan New Energy’s car-grade semi-solid battery has been successfully rolled off the assembly line. At the beginning of this year, NIO Qin Lihong also revealed that if it goes as planned, NIOs 150kWh battery pack is expected to be launched in the first half of this year, and it will be available in summer.

It is reported that the new battery uses a solid-liquid hybrid electrolyte, with an energy density of 360Wh/kg, surpassing the CATL Kirin battery (255Wh/kg), and a single charge with a battery range of more than 1,000km. Three models including the NIO ET7 will also become the first batch of NIO A model with a battery range exceeding 1000km.

Although solid-state batteries (all-solid and semi-solid) have many advantages, they also have shortcomings at this stage, mainly in the small production scale and high cost. Weilan New Energy has disclosed that the production target of semi-solid batteries this year is 1,000 packs.

NIO Qin Lihong also said that due to the high cost of batteries (one battery pack is equivalent to an ET5), the new battery will adopt the battery rental model after the launch, and the service fee will be paid monthly, and the buyout scheme will be considered according to the sales situation.