From Hefei to Biatorbágy: NIO Brings Next-Gen Technology to Hungary

NIO’s manufacturing line in Hefei.

Biatorbágy, the small town West of Budapest is perhaps an unlikely place for a major high tech enterprice, yet this is precisely where the Chinese luxury car and battery charging station manufacturer NIO had set up its operations in Europe. We have accepted NIO’s kind invitation to visit their factory in Hefei, Anhui province, to find out what the high tech company’s vision for the future is.

In 2022 the first battery replacement station has been completed at the NIO assembly plant in Biatorbágy. The company announced the completion of the plant, built with 1.7 billion forints (EUR 4.43 million) in state support out of a total of 5.5 billion forints (EUR 14 million) investment. They plan to assemble 240 battery changing stations per year. The battery replacement station can replace the batteries of compatible cars with fully charged ones in a matter of minutes, allowing drivers to continue their journey after a time equivalent to refueling a conventional car.

Although NIO has already built up a substantial network of such battery replacement stations in China, enabling them to assist drivers on longer journeys, the technology is intended primarily for densely populated cities, where some drivers are unable to charge their cars at home. For them, the battery replacement program, which takes about 6 minutes, may be a good alternative.

Nio Biatorbágy. Photo: Courtesy of NIO

Nio Biatorbágy. Photo: Courtesy of NIO

The second generation of battery exchange stations built in Biatorbágy can store and charge up to 13 packs at a time. Since a battery replacement takes about 6 minutes, and the charging time for battery packs is about 1 hour, the pack removed from the first car can be fully charged and placed in the 14th car coming in a row. The station measures 10×6 meters and is 3.5 meters high, The battery packs unscrewed from the bottom of the car are transferred to the shelf of the battery charging station below floor level. The car enters the operational stations independently via a ramp, where the wheels on rollers are aligned over the opening by push plates.

Nio Biatorbágy. Photo: Courtesy of NIO

Nio Biatorbágy. Photo: Courtesy of NIO

The removed battery pack is first placed in a temporary storage area, then the fully charged pack arrives from the charger, which the robot fits into place. The connection of the electrical systems and the cooling system is fully automatic, while the components are designed for 2.000 replacements.

The Chinese city of Hefei in Anhui province. Photo: Pixabay

There is also the option of a monthly subscription, allowing owners of cars with smaller batteries to rent larger batteries for longer journeys. To date nearly a million NIO cars have been sold worldwide, and a total of tens of thousands of packs have been installed at battery replacement stations. For the time being, all parts are coming from China, but potential Hungarian suppliers are already being sought.

Entrance to Nio’s Hefei showroom. Photo: Hungary Today

In August 2025 we have been granted a rare opportunity to see NIO’s “mothership” in Anhui province, Eastern China. Some “mere” 500 kilometers from Shanghai, a distance easily covered by the local high-speed train network, Hefei is a city of almost 5 million inhabitants. According to a local census, in 1950 the city had population of only 145.000, growing rapidly especially after the early 2000s, when it transformed itself into a major industrial and technological hub.

The showroom in Hefei. Photo: Hungary Today

The entrance to NIO’s showroom is impressive. Chinese companies that can afford it typically put an enormous emphasis on presenting their business and product to outsiders. Our local guide, who spoke impeccable English, showed us around not only in the showroom, but the manufacturing facilities as well. In the showroom though one notable point was a board where the main designers and engineers were listed. It was impressive just how many European and American experts are now willing to join the Chinese car manufacturing company started only in 2014.

The EP9 electric hypercar. Photo: Hungary Today

Despite their success in battery replacement and charging technology, the company is perhaps best known for its electric vehicles (EV). NIO’s speed records center around its EP9 electric hypercar, setting benchmarks for EVs, including a 2017 Nürburgring record (6:45) for an EV and a Circuit of the Americas (COTA) autonomous lap record (2:40.33) with its 1,341 horsepower performance. The car’s price was not revealed to us, but it would set you back well over a million dollars.

NIO’s Hefei showroom. Photo: Hungary Today

It was entertaining to watch young, affluent Chinese families coming into the showroom with their children, and try the cars out. The company positions itself into the luxury vehicle segment, with the range topping ET9 model costing at around EUR 120.000

The manufacturing facilities in Hefei. Photo: Courtesy of NIO

We have also been invited into the manufacturing facilities, but we were not able to take photos there. The company has kindly provided us with their own images. However, the widespread European myth about “sweatshop-like conditions” in Chinese factories are just that, a myth. The manufacturing halls were squeaky clean, while robots were doing the repetitive tasks, as well as the heavy lifting.

Photo: Courtesy of NIO

Finally we also had the chance to witness a live car battery change at one of NIO’s proprietary changing stations. A local car, not belonging to the factory, simply drove in and the automated system did the rest. They were done within five minutes, about the time it takes to fill up an average petrol tank at a petrol station.

A battery change in Hefei. Photo: Hungary Today

Over a thousand such changing stations have already been built in China, in Europe Norway being their first customers. It will remain to be seen whether the concept will catch on, but in big cities, where EV owners living in apartment blocks have no access to convenient charging points, NIO’s charging station may have a good chance of catching on.

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