(Yicai) June 25 -- Hongqi, the luxury car brand under Chinese state-owned automotive giant FAW Group, has partnered with Chinese new energy vehicle startup Nio on charging network interoperability.

Hongqi users can use the marque’s app to check the location, price, availability, and other information about Nio’s charging piles in real-time across China since yesterday, the pair announced yesterday. Hongqi users can also scan QR codes to charge and pay with the app.

Nio had 2,435 battery swap stations and 22,705 charging piles in China as of yesterday. In the past six months, it joined hands with Changan Automobile, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, Xpeng Motors, Jiyue Auto, Lotus Technology, and IM Motors on charging network interoperability. Moreover, Nio partnered with seven Chinese carmakers, such as FAW, Changan Auto, Geely, and GAC Group, on battery swapping.

Nio has already built a large electric vehicle charging and battery swapping network, so automakers can reduce the costs of building charging systems by cooperating with Nio, a planning department staffer at a Chinese carmaker told Yicai.

Editors: Tang Shihua, Futura Costaglione