With just a 150 kWh battery, a Chinese EV managed to achieve 650 miles of range.

Nio will soon sell an EV with the largest “semi-solid state” 150kWh battery (140kWh useable) in a passenger car, Car News China claimed. To demonstrate range, Nio CEO William Li drove a prototype ET7 1,044km (650 miles) in 14 hours, exceeding several gas-powered automobiles.

The test was live-streamed in 28–54 F temps. Nio drove mostly semi-autonomously (Navigate-on-Pilot+) at 90 km/h. The average speed was 83.9 km/h (52.4 MPH), and the trip took 12.4 hours without pauses.

“The completion of this endurance challenge proves the product power of the 150kWh ultra-long endurance battery pack,” Li said on Weibo. “More importantly, all models on sale can be easily upgraded to 150kWh batteries through the Nio battery exchange system.”

Like various European automobiles, the ET7’s 150kWh battery will be leased separately from the car. The business previously stated that the battery alone would cost $42,000, or the price of the ET5 EV.

WeLion New Energy Technology’s battery offers a single-cell energy density of 360 Wh/kg or 260 Wh/kg for the pack (Tesla’s newest cells are under 300 Wh/kg). GEL, clay, or resin electrolytes give semi-solid state batteries more energy and fire resistance than conventional batteries. However, true solid-state batteries, which may quadruple energy density, are still far off.

The 150kWh battery pack may not come to the US. The Biden administration’s new guidelines would reduce the $7,500 tax credit for US automobiles like Tesla’s Model 3 Long Range that contain Chinese battery components.

China-based premium EV maker Nio provides battery-free automobiles with a monthly battery-as-a-service (BAAS) subscription. That service lets you replace your battery with a bigger one.