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Innovative electric car maker NIO may prep to enter the U.S. market and take on Tesla directly

The NIO ET7 electric sedan has a 150 kWh battery option (image: NIO)
The NIO ET7 electric sedan has a 150 kWh battery option (image: NIO)
NIO, one of the most innovative Chinese electric car makers, may be preparing to bring its cars to this side of the pond, after managing to launch several of them in Europe. Its 2022 expansion plans include bringing the 600-mile ET7 sedan to Norway and five other EU countries, but a few LinkedIn job listings suggest that it could very well be eyeing the American market, too, despite the formidable presence of Tesla.

There's a reason NIO's high-end electric cars go for as much as a Tesla or a BMW, since they are one of the most innovative EVs in a country that is awash with electric vehicle startups now. Yes, we are talking about China and its goldrush to establish an E-mobility dominance via a combination of government subsidies and billionaire egos. Actually, this market sounds just like the one in the U.S., where companies like Rivian that have only delivered two vehicles so far, have a sky-high valuation based on promises alone. Well, NIO is apparently preparing to conquer the American market, too, after making it in Europe, if several recent job postings on LinkedIn are any indication.

NIO's Vice President Saurabh Bhatnagar has posted three positions - Head of Architecture & Design, Head of Power Strategy, and Head, User Infrastructure Construction & Readiness - with the latter indicating a potential charging network development. The power strategy and infrastructure chiefs will have the following responsibilities, respectively:

Develop and articulate a clear view of the regulations and the incentives governing the US EV charging infrastructure participants, and align NIO stakeholders to that view. Develop the pricing strategy for NIO’s power offerings, detailing how NIO’s capabilities can optimize all components of the system, including energy purchase, acquisition, storage, and delivery.

Develop a detailed infrastructure readiness plan for each infrastructure category, aligned with business objectives and budgets. Secure executive approval for the plan, and drive the execution of the plan. From site selection to final completion, own the infrastructure buildout process and plans, to ensure that the final buildout completely represents the design vision and expectation.

After entering Norway with the ES8 electric SUV and the ET7 sedan that is expected to launch there soon, NIO announced plans to expand to five more countries in Europe, including automotive industry stalwarts like Germany. Together with XPeng, NIO will be one of the few EV companies that will be offering electric cars with 600+ miles range thanks to its early semi-solid state battery push, so we can only welcome more competition in the U.S., provided that NIO passes all of the regulatory hurdles.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2021 12 > Innovative electric car maker NIO may prep to enter the U.S. market and take on Tesla directly
Daniel Zlatev, 2021-12-24 (Update: 2021-12-24)