Novelis Expands Automotive Capabilities in Electric Vehicle Market

SHANGHAI and ATLANTA, March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Novelis, the world leader in aluminum rolling and recycling, announced it has expanded its automotive supply capabilities by signing an agreement with next-generation car company, NIO, to provide innovative aluminum solutions for its fleet of smart, high-performance, premium electric vehicles. NIO will use Novelis Advanz™ aluminum alloys to create a wide range of structural components and parts for its aluminum-intensive NIO electric SUV models to be launched over the next five years.

The NIO partnership marks Novelis' first major commitment in the premium electric vehicle space. As the industry leader, Novelis is uniquely positioned to meet the increasing demand for automakers designing a new generation of lighter, better performing and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Supply for NIO will come from Novelis' Changzhou plant, China's first facility dedicated to manufacturing heat-treated automotive sheet, which demonstrates Novelis' long-term commitment and capability to supply product in Asia for auto manufacturers based in that region and globally.

"This seminal relationship with NIO is pushing the limits of what is possible with electric vehicles from both a performance and design standpoint," said Pierre Labat, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Global Automotive, Novelis. "It underscores that Novelis is more than just a material supplier, we are collaborators and problem solvers working closely with design teams to help ensure vehicles are built to maximize the unique attributes of aluminum and meet the mobility demands of the future."

Novelis' expertise and experience working with world-class automakers make it the best choice for NIO and the right choice for the electric vehicle market.

NIO Founder and Chairman, William Li, said, "This partnership of mutual benefit will bring confidence and new capabilities to the booming global EV market. The two companies will work together closely and push forward the application of lightweight materials in the next-generation of electric vehicles."

With over 40 years of experience in the automotive industry, Novelis is the only automotive aluminum supplier with production capabilities in all three major auto-producing regions – Asia, Europe and North America. Its products are featured in more than 180 different vehicle models, representing the safest, strongest, and most durable cars and trucks on the road today.

About Novelis
Novelis Inc. is the global leader in aluminum rolled products and the world's largest recycler of aluminum. The company operates in 10 countries, has approximately 12,000 employees and reported $10 billion in revenue for its 2016 fiscal year. Novelis supplies premium aluminum sheet and foil products to transportation, packaging, construction, industrial and consumer electronics markets throughout North America, Europe, Asia and South America. Novelis is a subsidiary of Hindalco Industries Limited, an industry leader in aluminum and copper, and metals flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, a multinational conglomerate based in Mumbai, India. For more information, visit novelis.com and follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/NovelisInc and Twitter at twitter.com/Novelis.

About NIO
NIO is a global start-up, designing and developing smart, high-performance, premium electric vehicles. NIO has recruited thousands of world-class R&D and design experts from around the world with significant technology and management background from leading automobile and high tech companies. It has more than 2,000 employees in San Jose, Shanghai, Munich, London and eight other locations.  In October it announced that it was issued an Autonomous Vehicle Testing Permit by the California DMV and it would begin testing on public roads under the Autonomous Vehicle Tester Program guidelines as it progresses on its path to bring autonomy to market. Investors include Tencent, Temasek, Sequoia Capital, Lenovo, TPG and other world-renowned investment institutions. The company is also involved in the FIA Formula Championship, the world's first single-seater, all-electric racing series. The NextEV NIO Formula E team won the inaugural drivers' championship title in 2015. Learn more at nio.com.

SOURCE Novelis Inc.