On October 15, it was learned from NIO that the production line of JAC NIO's advanced manufacturing base in Hefei has completed the phased upgrade, making further preparations for the introduction of new models and the increase in production capacity.

　　 It is understood that this phased upgrade will begin on September 28 and will be completed on October 15. "This transformation made full use of the National Day holiday for the production line shutdown and transformation, to minimize the impact on production, and will not affect the overall production plan of Q4." said Ma Lin, director of NIO's communication.

　　Jianghuai Weilai Hefei Advanced Manufacturing Base production line; picture source: Weilai

　　 It is understood that the phased upgrade of JAC NIO's advanced manufacturing base in Hefei has completed the key transformation of the body, painting, and assembly workshops. Among them, 101 robots were added to the body shop, and 408 robots were adjusted in software programs and tempo. At the same time, a high-strength steel-aluminum hybrid process body production line was installed; two new production lines were newly built in the final assembly shop, and online tooling equipment was upgraded. In addition, the new paint shop under construction is also progressing as planned.

　　 According to the plan, the overall upgrade of the production line will be completed in the first half of 2022 to meet the growing market demand. According to official reports, the annual production capacity of JAC NIO’s advanced manufacturing base in Hefei is 120,000 units/year. After the overall upgrade is completed, it will reach an annual production capacity of 240,000 vehicles and parts. The annual production capacity can be increased to 30 by working overtime or increasing shifts. Million units.

　　 In fact, as early as the beginning of this year, Jianghuai Weilai Hefei Advanced Manufacturing Base started the overall upgrade of the production line. As an important part of the project, this phased upgrade is to make further preparations for the introduction of new models and the increase in production capacity.

　　In terms of the introduction of new models, this upgrade is obviously to prepare for the production of new models including ET7. On January 9 this year, Weilai officially released the first sedan ET7 on NIO Day 2020, and opened reservations on the Weilai App. Delivery is expected to start in the first quarter of 2022. The starting price of the new car is 448,000 yuan before the subsidy, the starting price of the BaaS program is 378,000 yuan before the subsidy; the first version is priced at 526,000 yuan before the subsidy, and the BaaS program is priced at 398,000 yuan before the subsidy.

　　 On May 13, the first NIO ET7 verification prototype was off the assembly line at NIO Hefei Advanced Manufacturing Base and entered the production commissioning stage. By verifying the small batch production of the prototype, it means that the ET7 production line will be further optimized and the mass production process will be steadily promoted. The completion of the phased upgrade of the production line of JAC NIO's advanced manufacturing base in Hefei has laid a solid foundation for the mass production of ET7.

　　 In addition, in order to meet the increasing demand of the terminal market, NIO’s production capacity needs to be improved urgently. The latest delivery data shows that in September this year, NIO delivered a total of 10,628 smart electric vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 125.7%. In the third quarter of 2021, NIO delivered a total of 24,439 new vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 100.2%, a record quarterly delivery number, and maintained positive growth for six consecutive quarters, exceeding the Q3 delivery guidelines. From January to September 2021, NIO has delivered 66,395 units, a year-on-year increase of 151.7%.

　　 Weilai 2021 monthly delivery data; image source: Weilai official screenshot

　　 In addition to the increase in delivery, Weilai's order volume is also rising. "Following the historical record set in August, orders in September still maintained a very strong momentum. As long as the supply chain does not deteriorate further, the fourth quarter will have a positive quarter-on-quarter growth." Ma Lin, director of communications at NIO, said earlier. On September 29, he also stated through the Weibo platform that the exhibition cars in the Weilai showroom were almost sold out, and only car models could be displayed.

　　 In addition, the expansion of NIO's overseas market is also a major reason for its expansion. On September 30, the Weilai ES8 was launched in Norway. Using global unified pricing, comprehensive freight, local taxes and operating costs and other factors, the Weilai ES8 equipped with a standard battery pack (75 degrees) starts at 609,000 Norwegian kroner. It is equipped with a long-life battery pack (100 degrees), with a starting price of 679,000 Norwegian kroner, and a cruising range of up to 500 kilometers under WLTP conditions. At present, Weilai has completed the delivery of the first batch of vehicles.

　　 This article is reproduced from Gasgoo.com