Why NIO Decided to Buy Its Own Manufacturing Facilities

JAC Group is changing things up. The company has moved on from just being a "contract manufacturer" to becoming a major player in the world of high-end electric vehicles (EVs) and global tech partnerships.

Moving on from the "factory" days

For a long time, JAC Group was best known for building cars for the EV startup, NIO. The two companies teamed up in 2016 to mass-produce NIO's popular models .

After seven years, the partnership ended on good terms in late 2023. NIO decided to get its own production license and bought the manufacturing facilities they had been using together .

Teaming up with the big boys

JAC Group isn't just working alone; they've been busy making friends with global giants to level up their tech. A huge moment happened in 2017 when they signed a deal with Volkswagen to create a joint venture specifically for new energy vehicles .

Even though Volkswagen eventually took over management of the venture—now called Volkswagen (Anhui)—the partnership remains a key part of JAC's strategy to lead in the electric car era .

Getting into the "smart" car game

JAC Group is also going all-in on the smart and electric vehicle supply chain. In 2024, they teamed up with Huawei to build luxury smart EVs that use top-tier automotive tech .

On top of that, they've signed deals with tech firms and battery experts like CATL. These partnerships are helping JAC get better at things like battery-swapping technology and self-driving systems .