The new R&D facility will serve to consolidate Nio’s UK-based personnel in a single location. Previously, these staff had been split across two locations in Oxfordshire ever since the Chinese brand established a presence in the UK in 2016. Now, the team that has played a role in all of Nio’s global vehicle development programmes, will be united under one roof as part of a single unit.
The role that this UK team could play in future Nio products can’t be understated; since 2016, they have contributed to the development of portfolio EVs such as the EP9 supercar and the ET9 flagship. They have also worked on Nio’s Firefly sub-brand, including its first compact EV, among other projects.
Nio says that its new R&D centre will support closer collaboration between the members of the UK team as well as providing a more spacious base for future vehicle development work.
Speaking at the site’s official opening, Nio Europe’s Vice President Hui Zhang said: “For a decade, our Oxfordshire team has been an integral part of NIO’s global R&D network, contributing to multiple vehicle programmes and engineering innovations across our global portfolio. As we celebrate this milestone, we thank the team for its dedication, expertise and contribution to NIO’s development over the past 10 years. The opening of our new Witney R&D centre reflects our long-term commitment to the UK, Europe and international collaboration in advancing smart electric mobility.”
Danilo Teobaldi, Principal Chief Engineer, NIO, added: “Bringing our virtual and physical UK engineering teams together in Witney will accelerate the development of innovations that improve the user experience. With new facilities, we can ensure NIO’s UK-based team continues to pioneer in areas such as class-leading Euro NCAP results for all three group brands, along with smart chassis system solutions for our global platforms.”
Earlier this month, Nio announced it was slowing the pace of its expansion in Europe to refocus on the domestic Chinese market. Apparently, there will be no model updates or new battery swap stations before the end of 2027 – despite the opening of the new Oxfordshire facility.