The way we charge electric vehicles is evolving. As EV adoption surges worldwide, the need for smarter, more efficient, and cost-effective charging solutions has never been greater. No longer is charging just about plugging in a car – it’s about intelligent energy management, real-time cost optimization, and seamless connectivity between vehicles and energy providers. But how exactly can smart connectivity and integrated energy solutions make a difference?

The latest episode of the House of NIO podcast explores this question, diving into the technology that enables seamless smart EV charging while reducing costs for users. In this episode, Marius Keil, Lead Experience Manager Vehicle and Charging at NIO, sits down with Henrik Loennechen, Head of Partnerships at Enode, to discuss how we at NIO are creating a smarter, more cost-effective charging experience. By leveraging seamless energy integration, we are giving our users greater flexibility, transparency, and savings on their charging costs.

Norway’s unique role in the smart EV revolution

Norway has long been a leader in electric vehicle adoption, with nearly 90% of new passenger cars being electric. However, what makes Norway particularly unique is not just the number of EVs on the road but its highly competitive energy market, which allows consumers to benefit from dynamic energy pricing. Unlike in many other countries, Norwegian energy providers actively compete to offer the most attractive tariffs for EV users.

“Even last year, almost 90% of new passenger cars sold were actually electric in Norway. And that's way higher than most other countries.” – Henrik Loennechen

Norway was also one of the first energy markets in Europe to open up for competition. This shift allowed energy companies to offer innovative, user-friendly solutions that enable EV owners to charge their vehicles at the lowest possible cost by dynamically adjusting charging times.

“It was actually one of the first energy markets in Europe or worldwide to open up for competition. And when you bridge this together with energy prices going up, we saw that the energy companies really wanted to be able to connect to these EVs and charge them cheaply for consumers. So, that's why we actually ended up founding Enode as a software company.” – Henrik Loennechen

NIO smart charging: a user-first solution

At NIO, our goal is to create the best charging experience for our users. We introduced NIO Smart Charging to optimize charging schedules automatically, ensuring that smart EVs charge when electricity prices are lowest. This allows our users to save up to 30% on electricity costs – while maintaining complete control over their charging preferences.

“We enabled our users to set up the preferred time of leaving, usually in the morning, in the vehicle settings, and they could also use the new app to set it up.” – Marius Keil

When we first launched NIO Smart Charging, we partnered with Tibber, a dynamic energy provider, to enable this feature. However, we quickly heard from our users that they wanted more flexibility. Many of them were already using E.ON, Fjordkraft, and other providers, and they wanted to connect their NIOs to their existing energy contracts.

“After releasing NIO Smart Charging that will already work with any company, users send us a lot of feedback. They were like: Okay, I'm not using Tibber – I have another company already in place. For example, E.ON, Fjordkraft seems to be common in Norway, that's something I learned. And they want to connect to the partner that they prefer and already have.” – Marius Keil

To meet this demand, we set out to create a broader, more flexible solution, allowing seamless integration with multiple energy providers.

The power of API connectivity

To bring this vision to life, we partnered with Enode, a software company specializing in API-based energy integration. Without an API-driven solution, both energy companies and car manufacturers would have to build separate, one-off connections with each other, leading to inefficiencies and delays.

By integrating our NIO Smart Charging system with Enode’s API, we now allow our users to connect their smart EVs to over 130 energy providers. This means that no matter which energy provider our users prefer, they can still take full advantage of optimized, cost-effective charging.

“In the end, it's about the users. We want to make sure that they have a great experience.” – Marius Keil

NIO’s competitive advantage: Power Swap and charging flexibility

Beyond home charging, we also offer one of the most innovative charging solutions in the industry: Power Swap Stations. NIO Power Swap technology allows users to replace a depleted battery with a fully charged one in under five minutes.

“We make sure that DC charging is fast and reliable. But we also offer the power swap, which means the vehicle would automatically drive into a power swap station that looks like a garage. We replace the empty battery with a nearly full one, and the users can drive off – all within five minutes.” – Marius Keil

By combining smart home charging with Power Swap Stations, we ensure that our users have the most flexible, efficient, and cost-effective charging options available today.

The future of EV energy integration

The energy market is evolving rapidly, and as EV adoption grows, energy companies are competing to provide the best rates, most advanced apps, and seamless integration experiences. This means that NIO drivers stand to benefit from continuous innovation and improved energy solutions.

At NIO, we are committed to leading this transformation by continuously innovating and expanding our seamless energy and mobility integration. Whether through smart charging, fleet connectivity, bidirectional energy solutions, or new connected services – we ensure that NIO users are always ahead of the curve.

Explore the full discussion on the House of NIO podcast

We’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in mobility. From integrating advanced AI to prioritizing customer-first design, we’re redefining how people interact with their cars. These ideas and more are at the heart of the House of NIO podcast. Season 2 features six monthly episodes exploring smart electric vehicle innovations and the future of mobility. Short insider editions are also available mid-month for quick updates.

Tune in to Season 2, episode 7 of our House of NIO podcast to explore the full conversation between Marius Keil and Henrik Loennechen and learn how NIO's software integration and energy innovations are redefining the future of mobility.

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