Nio's first phone model will be released and begin deliveries in the third quarter, William Li said in April.
Nio (NYSE: NIO)'s first mobile phone model completed radio clearance in China, paving the way for its launch later this year.
The electric vehicle (EV) maker's mobile device, model number N2301, received radio approval on June 19, according to a disclosure on the website of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The device will support 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network standards, and will also support UWB (Ultra Wide Band), a key feature when using a phone as a car key.
The disclosure focuses on the radio specifications for the Nio mobile device, covering frequencies, transmit power, and obtaining the approval is a key process to enable it to be sold in China.
In late March 2022, William Li, Nio's founder, chairman and CEO, confirmed that the company would venture into phone making.
A key driver of Nio's decision was that, in the rise of smart cars in China, owners' experiences are increasingly dependent on a direct and seamless connection between their phones and vehicles.
In March last year, Li told a group of car owners that Apple was closed to the automotive industry, for example, Nio's second-generation platform models come standard with UWB, but Apple does not open up the interface.
Nio has to study smartphones and car-centric smart devices from the user's interest and experience, he said at the time.
On April 1, Li said during a Chinese EV industry forum that Nio's first phone model would be launched and start deliveries in the third quarter.
Nio unveiled the new ES8 at its Nio Day 2022 event on December 24, 2022, and an introductory image of the model shows two cell phones in the second-row center armrest.
The wireless charging pad can wirelessly fast charge two phones simultaneously at 40 W, according to the text on the image.
In an internal speech at Nio last November 15, Li said the launch of the phone was a decision based on 5-10 years of long-term strategic thinking, according to local media outlet LatePost at the time.
Internal speech: William Li on Nio's new businesses, and why it's on right side of trend
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