NIO’s milestone shows that battery swapping is being used at a substantial scale. During China’s National Day holiday, October 1–7, 2026, its network completed 1,192,221 battery swaps—about 170,000 per day. The daily average was 22% higher than a year earlier, according to CnEVPost’s reporting on NIO’s holiday report.
For drivers of compatible vehicles, swapping offers another way to replenish energy during busy travel periods. The holiday total demonstrates significant demand and the network’s ability to handle heavy use.
However, the milestone alone does not establish profitability or prove swapping is better than fast charging. Those questions also depend on station costs, utilization, vehicle compatibility, and local charging options.
BSWAPS
Independent coverage of battery swapping and EV technology.
