Jason Wu

I'm sitting in an SUV made by the company NIO.

We're parked by a small structure that looks kind of like a one-car garage without walls, or like those places where you might get a quick oil change.

But there's no oil.

The car is about to get a fresh battery.

No more waiting to charge up.

NIO has recognized that long charge times are one of the main reasons keeping people from buying EVs.

So it's installed nearly 4,000 battery swap stations around the world.

Most are in China, of course.

NIO executive Jason Wu says in February, the company hit a milestone, completing 100 million battery swaps since the service was first rolled out in Beijing eight years ago.

NIO says it's saved drivers more than 83 million hours.

John Rewich, NPR News, at a car battery swapping station in Beijing.