Chinese EV company Nio will start sales in five more European countries in 2021 following its launch in Norway this year.
The automaker will begin deliveries of its ES8 large SUV in Norway in September and will install a network of city center stores, charging stations, service centers and battery swap stations in the country.
Nio chose Norway to as its first European market because of the country’s commitment to sustainability, Nio founder William Li said in an online presentation on Thursday.
"The decision was backed by long-term thinking. Norway is the most EV friendly country," he said.
In a separate event, Li told journalists in China that the automaker will launch sales in five more European countries.
The ES8 has a range of between 400 km to 500 km (248 miles to 311 miles) on the WLTP cycle depending on model, Nio said.
No price was given for the car, but Nio is aiming at the premium market.
The brand's second model will the ET7 large sedan arriving in 2022. The ET7, a rival for the Tesla Model S, was launched in in January in China with a promised range of 1,000 km between charges.
Nio will build four battery swap stations around the Norwegian capital of Oslo this year, with 12 more planned in other cities next year. The swaps are done in three minutes as a quicker alternative to charging.
In March, Nio said it had completed 2 million battery swaps in China for customers. Nio will also build a rapid charge network in Norway, it said.
