Chinese electric vehicle ( EV ) maker Nio is one of the candidates considering a takeover of the Audi Brussels car plant in the Brussels city of Vorst, Belgian media outlet De Tijd said in a report overnight, citing reliable sources.

Nio ’ s U.S.-listed shares rose 3.78% in premarket trading.

A delegation from Nio has visited the plant in recent weeks and the company is currently working on an offer that must be submitted to Volkswagen Group by next Monday, the report said.

De Tijd -- literally The Times -- is a Belgian newspaper dating back to 1968 that specializes in business and economic reporting.

Audi parent Volkswagen has decided not to build any more cars in Vorst when the last Q8 e-tron electric SUV ( sport utility vehicle ) rolls off the production line next year, so finding a buyer for the plant is the only remaining alternative to the increasingly inevitable closure, the story noted.

If it closes, all 2,910 Audi Brussels employees will lose their jobs, according to the report.

Nio is one of the premium Chinese brands with ambitions in Europe, where the company began selling cars two years ago, but the expansion hasn't been as successful as planned, the report said.