Who Is NIO?
NIO started up in 2014 as a Chinese based electric vehicle company, with plans to go global. Soon thereafter they released their first sports car, the NIO EP9, and joined FIA Formula E Racing Championship (as NextEV). They now have offices in China, US, UK, Germany and Norway.
The EP9 gained global attention when it broke all records at Nürburgring race track to become the World’s Fastest Car; the first EV to do it! Since then they’ve been working on mainstream production models, including their first offering – the NIO ET7 sedan.
NIO ET7
The NIO ET7 sedan is the flagship model for NIO, set to begin production in early 2022. It is intended as a direct competitor in China for the Tesla Model S. NIO is asking a starting price of $69,200, but what does the ET7 offer?
The NIO ET7 has technology we’ve come to accept as standard for EVs: an AI assistant (Adam), electronic instrument cluster, large center touchscreen, glass roof and an autonomous driving system (Aquila). It goes 0-60 in 3.9 seconds and handles well, with dual motor all wheel drive. The ET7 has a drag coefficient of around 0.2 which puts it on par with the Tesla Model S and Lucid Air. Currently there are two batteries to choose from, 70kWh (311 mile range) and 100kWh (435 mile range). However, NIO plans to introduce a third option of 150kWh.
The Future of NIO
NIO has many models in the works, this includes: the EC6 fastback, ES8 SUV and ES6 SUV. Their goals are global, their ambitions high. In referring to their chosen logo NIO says, “‘Blue Sky Coming’ describes our guiding philosophy in a brighter, positive future, and a more sustainable tomorrow. This is what’s driving us – every day, across the globe.”
