Key points in this article
Network Density, Not Just Power
By October 11 NIO ran 9,584 charge-swap sites nationwide, including 4,176 swap stations and 1,073 highway swap stations, plus 5,408 charging stations and 31,120 own piles, with over 1.73 million third-party piles linked. Guangdong hit 500 stations covering 122 districts at over 83% 'power-district' coverage.
Swap and Charge Are Not Either-Or
NIO pairs swap with charging and open interconnection: swap for long trips and high-frequency users, charging for daily and other brands, third-party access multiplying usable piles. For public operators the lesson is to link piles to one platform and share reach rather than compete alone.
Fifth-Generation Compatibility
Zhuhai Shizi Men is Guangdong's first fifth-generation station, supporting up to 3.5 m wheelbase across small cars to large SUVs and three brands. Broader compatibility lowers the bar for multi-brand users and signals swap moving from closed ecosystem toward open standard.
What 'County-Wide' Really Means
Guangdong's county-wide swap coverage means most users find a swap point within about 3 km. For charging experience, network density matters more than single-station power; user anxiety is less 'how fast' than 'is one nearby.' That principle guides local rollout in varied Yantai districts.
The Yantai Takeaway
Yantai's fast-rising EV use and port haulage create real 'swap and go' demand. Dongshang New Energy, under Dongdian Huichong, focuses on fine-grained community and public charging; the shared idea is density and reach first. If swap or supercharge hubs appear, local value is linking them to community slow charging.