Is Tesla or BYD the top global EV seller? Nio has hit 1,000 battery-swapping stations, in what is far from an experiment. And VW is building its first of many big EV battery factories. This and more, here at Green Car Reports.
Volkswagen today officially broke ground on its first EV battery cell “gigafactory,” which it’s terming SalzGiga, as well as a new PowerCo battery business to oversee it and other such battery cell factories. VW plans six such factories for Europe, with the possibility of North American battery factories in the future.
BYD, the Chinese company that once held the lead over Tesla in global EV sales, is back in the top spot only if you look at all plug-in models, including plug-in hybrids. In what we call electric vehicles—apples-to-apples, Tesla’s still on top. That said, Volkswagen remains in the passing lane.
China’s Nio on Wednesday made a number of announcements. It’s completed its 1,000th battery swapping station, and it confirmed that 500-kw DC fast-chargers are soon going to be deployed for China and Europe. Nio will soon also start making its own 800-volt battery packs in-house, for more affordable models to be sold under a mass-market brand.
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