Audi announced in July that it was looking for solutions for the Brussels factory, which the four-ring brand intends to close due to a global decline in demand for high-end vehicles.
However, Audi seems to have found a solution for the unit that exclusively produces the Audi Q8 E-tron, with about 50,000 units produced annually and employing around 3,000 people, as the Chinese company Nio has now emerged as a potential interested party in acquiring that production unit.
According to the Belgian newspaper “De Tijd”, Nio is preparing an offer to acquire the Brussels factory, which according to “Automobilwoche”, the Chinese brand has not confirmed.
However, the latter publication reports that representatives from Belgian unions confirmed that a delegation of potential Chinese investors visited the Audi factory in Brussels.
It is worth noting that Nio already sells its 100% electric models in several European countries and at the end of last year signed an agreement with Geely for the development of technology for battery swapping for 100% electric vehicles.
Nio has over 1,300 battery swapping stations in China, and in Europe, it already has 13 stations located in Norway, the Netherlands, and Germany. Additionally, the Chinese brand announced the expansion of its charging network to 6 new European countries, including Austria, Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
