Nio Supplies Battery Packs to McLaren: Partnership Deepens

Nio Inc. Is now supplying battery packs to British supercar manufacturer McLaren, the Chinese electric vehicle maker’s founder, chairman and CEO William Li announced Saturday during a user event in Wuhan, Hubei province. The confirmation deepens a technical partnership initially revealed in September 2025, and comes as both companies are backed by Abu Dhabi state holding company L’imad Holding.

Li did not disclose specifics of the battery supply arrangement, according to auto blogger @特来哥_谢老板. However, a report from Yiou in June 2025 indicated that Nio would develop power batteries for McLaren’s hybrid models, utilizing the company’s in-house developed 4680 large cylindrical battery cells. The initial battery packs are expected to have a capacity of approximately 10 kWh, with low-volume production slated for 2026.

The growing collaboration between Nio and McLaren follows a restructuring of investments led by Abu Dhabi. In January 2026, Abu Dhabi consolidated stakes previously held by CYVN Holdings into L’imad Holding, a move intended to streamline its investments, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Nio. L’imad now holds a 17.9% stake in Nio and is wholly owned by the Abu Dhabi Department of Finance.

Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince, chairs the board of L’imad Holding. The formation of L’imad followed CYVN Holdings’ acquisition of McLaren’s automotive business in April 2025, at which time CYVN stated McLaren would receive electrification support from its strategic investment in Nio.

Li previously stated that technical service revenue was primarily derived from McLaren, according to reports from September 2025. Nio is also accelerating research and development of solid-state batteries through a new technology firm established in Shanghai, with scaled application anticipated after 2027.