Nio is coming to Germany in 2022. An important model in this expansion course is the Nio ET5, which has a range of up to 1,000 kilometers. This is bad news for the Tesla Model 3 and the BMW i4.
Nio has always known how to present himself. In addition to the presentation of the new models, the Nio-Tag is also used for self-marketing. The supporting program is always made up of international artists such as Bruno Mars, the band Imagine Dragons or, this year, the well-known DJ and music producer Alan Walker, before Nio founder William Li, like Apple guru Steve Jobs or Tesla boss Elon Musk, speaks to his disciples. This year there was also a lot to announce: Nio is making the announced tiger leap to Europe and will come to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark next year.
In order to be successful in these demanding markets, the announcements must then be followed by appropriate action. So William Li had a novelty in his luggage with the Nio ET5. The coupé-like midsize sedan throws the gauntlet on the Tesla Model 3 as well as the BMW i4 and grows with the range pound: With the 150 kilowatt hour battery, the Nio ET5 comes up to the “China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle” (CLTC) 1,000 kilometers. With the standard 75 kWh batteries it is more than 550 km, with the 100 kWh energy storage it is more than 700 kilometers. In addition to classic fast charging, Nio will soon be bringing battery swap stations to Europe, but it will take a while until the network of these swap stations is tight enough. So Nio will have to make sure that the large batteries of the ET5 and the other models are filled with energy as quickly as possible. This will presumably be resolved through cooperation with the charging stations.
When it comes to performance, the Chinese carmaker does not spoil it anyway. The all-wheel drive consists of a 150 kW / 204 PS strong induction asynchronous motor at the front and a 210 kW / 286 PS strong permanent magnet motor at the rear, which leads to a system output of 360 kW / 489 PS and a torque of 700 Nm. The ET5 thus completes the standard sprint from zero to 100 km / h in 4.3 seconds. Since the ET5 also contains the genes of the EP9 sports car, the high-performance brakes developed by the Chinese themselves work so boldly that the electric sedan comes to a standstill from a speed of 100 km / h after 33.9 meters.
In China, infotainment and driver assistance systems are at least as important as driving performance. Nio uses high-tech in the cockpit, in which sustainable materials are used. The sound system generates Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround sound and the ambient lighting creates 256 colors. When it comes to the infotainment system, Nio is not satisfied with the augmented reality of the S-Class head-up display. In the Middle Kingdom, customers like it to be even bigger. True to the customer’s request, Nio has devised a digital cockpit with a panoramic view, in which the system projects a gigantic 201-inch virtual screen six meters in front of the driver. In general, the interior is very clean: a large touchscreen forms the infotainment command center and the driving information is displayed on a 10.2-inch screen behind the steering wheel.
Nio wants to gradually introduce autonomous driving in the assistance systems and has equipped the ET5 with sensors (Nio Aquila Super Sensing) and the appropriate high-performance computing unit (Nio Adam Super Computing). A subscription is required to activate the functions. However, if “enemy contact” does occur, Nio is aiming for a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP test for the ET5. Prices for the ET5 start at around 45,000 euros, with deliveries starting in September. It is not yet known when the ET5 will come to Germany.