NIO (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866, SGX: NIO) recorded a new historical peak for its battery swap network on February 21, 2026, handling 175,976 service operations in a single day.

The surge occurred on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, marking the fourth consecutive day the company has broken its own volume records during the 2026 Spring Festival travel period.

Source: NIO

The daily volume achieved on February 21 represents a significant increase from the 158,290 swaps recorded on February 18, followed by 165,898 and 170,305 operations on the subsequent two days. At this peak frequency, NIO’s automated infrastructure completed one vehicle battery swap every 0.5 seconds on average across the national network.

Source: NIO

High-speed rail and road corridors saw the most intensive utilization, with the top three performing stations all located within major highway service areas. The Xianrenshan service area on the G42 Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway led the network with 193 swaps in 24 hours. It was followed by the Sheyang service area on the G15 Shenhai Expressway with 184 swaps and the Dahuai service area on the same route with 181 operations.

This daily record follows a major milestone on February 6, 2026, when NIO officially reached 100 million cumulative battery swaps since the service launched in 2018. The company views the 100-million mark and the current holiday performance as large-scale validation of the swap model’s ability to handle the "peak-shaving" demands of holiday travel, where traditional charging infrastructure often faces significant congestion.

NIO’s physical infrastructure now consists of more than 8,600 total power stations across China. This includes 3,700 dedicated battery swap stations and a specialized network of over 1,000 swap stations located directly on highways. The network currently covers 550 cities and has established a "9 vertical, 11 horizontal" grid connecting 16 of the country’s largest city clusters.

The rapid scaling of swap operations coincides with NIO’s efforts to open its proprietary technology to the broader industry. By establishing standard protocols for battery packs and station interfaces, the company seeks to transition its capital-intensive network into a shared utility for multiple manufacturers. This strategy aims to improve station profitability while reducing range anxiety for a wider demographic of electric vehicle users.

As the Spring Festival return rush continues, the performance of these automated stations remains a critical litmus test for the viability of battery swapping over ultra-fast charging. Will the seamless handling of nearly 180,000 daily swaps finally convince skeptics that swapping is the definitive solution for long-distance travel?