Nio Clears The Air: China EV Maker Dismisses Mercedes-Benz Partnership Rumors As 'False Information'

Chinese EV maker Nio Inc NIO has reportedly denied market rumors of a partnership with German automaker Mercedes-Benz.

What Happened: A Nio spokesperson denied market rumors of a partnership between the two companies that circulated after a video showed CEO William Li taking several foreigners on a tour of a battery swap station, reported CnEVPost.

“It’s false information,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying by CnEVPost.

The fresh rumors come on the heels of German automaker Volkswagen AG announcing a partnership with Chinese EV startup XPeng while Audi, its premium subsidiary, plans to join forces with SAIC.

Why It Matters: Rumors of a potential Nio-Mercedes partnership have been swirling for months. Previously, it was fueled by an image of Mercedes CEO Ola Källenius meeting with Li at a Nio House.

The exact details of their discussion were and remain unclear, leaving many curious about a potential collaboration. 

Nio and Mercedes did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.

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