Partner from the word go: ERGO to insure NIO vehicles in Germany

ERGO is the official insurance partner for NIO vehicles available via subscription in Germany. The global manufacturer of smart electric vehicles made its debut on the German market in October.

ERGO and car manufacturer NIO will cooperate in future. ERGO is to insure the global player’s electric vehicles, which are currently only available via NIO’s subscription model in Germany. A key component of the monthly subscription fee is the comprehensive insurance provided by ERGO. The two companies have also agreed to work on further innovative insurance solutions for NIO vehicles in the fields of autonomous driving and battery technology, for example. NIO launched in Germany last week.

Harry Meng (Business Development Manager NIO), Ralph Kranz (General Manager Deutschland NIO), Johann Wiebold (Business Development Manager - International Markets – ERGO Mobility Solutions), Wei Wei (Business Development Manager – ERGO Mobility Solutions), Karsten Crede (Board of Management ERGO Digital Ventures / CEO ERGO Mobility Solutions), Peter Hu (Vice President Strategic Partnership and Business Resource Management), Franz Riedlberger (Director, Business Resource Management Europe - NIO), Michael Rau (Head of Sales & Business Development - International Markets - ERGO Mobility Solutions)

Karsten Crede, Board member of ERGO Digital Ventures AG who is responsible for the insurer’s automotive and mobility subsidiary ERGO Mobility Solutions, said of the new partnership: “NIO is a trailblazer in electromobility and a leader in the development of innovative mobility services. As regards its contribution to the cooperation, ERGO offers wide-ranging expertise and highly specialised infrastructure. This includes our Mobility Technology Center and our SAP software platform. We are looking forward to using this as a basis for working with NIO on future mobility solutions.”

ERGO Mobility Solutions (EMS) can look back on a host of successful partnerships with car manufacturers and mobility service providers such as BMW, Volvo and the Emil-Frey Group. EMS is already assisting Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motors in China itself, as well as with the launch and positioning of two brands in the European market and the development of a smart vehicle ecosystem. In addition, EMS is active in the field of innovative and vehicle-related insurance products and risk management solutions: together with Munich Re, vehicle service provider in-tech and the consultancy firm MaLiBu owned by Professor Markus Lienkamp, Chair of Automotive Technology at the Technical University of Munich, EMS founded the “Mobility Technology Center (MTC)” in May 2022. This is where customised solutions for future mobility are created.

Ralph Kranz, General Manager at NIO Deutschland GmbH, said: “We are delighted to have found in ERGO a robust and experienced insurance partner for our subscription-based electric vehicles in Germany. In our view, ERGO Mobility Solutions combines everything that is required: extensive expertise in insurance, broad know-how regarding mobile ecosystems and a wealth of experience when it comes to launching new vehicle brands in Europe.

Founded in late 2014 in Shanghai, NIO designs, develops and manufactures high-performance smart electric vehicles whose technology stands out from the crowd. By way of example, the batteries in NIO models can be removed. This means that users can exchange their car battery for a new one in around five minutes at a “power swap station” (PSS). Germany’s first PSS is already up and running; by the end of 2023, the number of stations in Europe is expected to reach 120. The company made its European debut in Norway in autumn 2021. As well as Germany, the company has now also launched in the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. NIO’s design and brand development centre is located in Munich.