The news came as EV makers enter a price war in the world’s largest auto market, where BYD, the 28-year-old, Shenzhen-based company known for its affordable hybrid plug-ins, enjoys a significant lead. With the new discount, the starting price of its cheapest model comes down to around 228,000 yuan ($32,000) on a battery-as-a-service base — Nio has made battery swapping its key selling point from inception and has built nearly 1,500 swapping stations to date. \nprompted over 40 car brands to follow suit, and it now looks like Nio is also out of choice