- The battery pack will be based on Nio's in-house developed 4680 large cylindrical battery cells, with small-scale production expected to begin next year.
- Nio will also restart R&D on the 46105 large cylindrical battery and 120-kWh battery pack in collaboration with Forseven.
Nio (NYSE: NIO) is reportedly set to supply batteries to British supercar brand McLaren, reigniting its efforts in battery research and manufacturing.
The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker will develop and supply power batteries for McLaren's hybrid models, according to a report by local media outlet Yiou today.
The battery pack will be based on Nio's in-house developed 4680 large cylindrical battery cells, with small-scale production expected to begin next year, the report said.
The collaboration is primarily due to the two companies' common investor, the Abu Dhabi government fund CYVN Holdings.
CYVN completed two investments totaling $3.3 billion in Nio in 2023, becoming the Chinese EV maker's largest shareholder with about 20.1 percent of the shares.
In February 2024, Nio signed a technology licensing agreement with Forseven Limited, a subsidiary of CYVN, authorizing the latter to use its EV platform and technologies.
Forseven is a British electric vehicle startup bankrolled by CYVN.
In October 2024, CYVN reached an agreement to acquire 100 percent of McLaren's automotive business from Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat.
In April this year, CYVN said in a news release that McLaren would benefit from the company's strategic investment in Nio, gaining access to cutting-edge technologies and electrification support.
In the collaboration between Nio and McLaren, the 4680 large cylindrical battery cell is a new project, with its size and shape more closely resembling Tesla's solution, according to Yiou.
The first iteration will feature a battery pack with a capacity of about 10 kWh, intended for McLaren's hybrid models, the report noted.
Mass production of the project is scheduled for next year, with a rapid development pace. A sample battery pack will be delivered to McLaren next month, according to the report, citing a source.
Nio will also restart R&D on the 46105 large cylindrical battery cell and 120-kWh battery pack based on its collaboration with Forseven, the report said.
This battery pack was originally planned for Nio's flagship sedan, the ET9, but ultimately did not materialize, the report noted, adding that the ET9 instead uses a 100-kWh battery pack developed by CATL using square cells.
The 46105 battery and 120-kWh battery pack will be co-developed by Nio and Forseven, with mass production handled by Eve Energy or Foxconn, according to the report.
This year, Nio will collaborate with CATL to develop an 85-kWh battery pack based on a 900-volt high-voltage architecture, which will serve as the main battery for Nio's third-generation vehicle platform and is expected to be shared between the Nio and Onvo brands, according to the report.
Nio established its battery R&D team as an independent first-tier department in 2020. In 2021, amid surging lithium prices, Nio began developing its own battery packs and cells, including the 46105 large cylindrical battery cells, Yiou noted.
However, with Nio's weak sales performance in 2023, the battery team was significantly downsized, with a 40 percent reduction now in personnel, according to the report.
With the support of major shareholders, Nio's large cylindrical battery project is expected to be restarted, Yiou said.
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