NIO’s Sports Sedan Targets Global Markets

Paul Myles

TU-Editor

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21st December 2021

Chinese BEV maker NIO, known for its swap-out battery technology, has unveiled its latest model as a sporting sedan planning to expand its sales into Europe.

The ET5 claims a power output of 468bhp and torque of 516ft-lbs delivering a 0-62mph sprint time in just 4.3seconds. This comes thanks to its dual motor architecture using 150 kW induction asynchronous motor in the front and 210 kW permanent magnet motor at the rear.

With NIO’s inhouse-developed high-performance 4-pot calipers, the stopping distance 62mph is claimed at just 111 feet. With a drag coefficient as low as 0.24, and the new-generation high-efficiency electric powertrain empowered by the SiC power module, the ET5’s claimed range between charges is more than reaches over 340 miles with the 75 kWh Standard Range Battery, more than 340 miles with the 100 kWh Long Range Battery and over 620 miles with the 150 kWh Ultralong Range Battery.

With its global market ambitions, the car has been designed to meet the five-star C-NCAP and Euro NCAP standards. This is achieved using an ultra-high-strength steel-aluminum hybrid body with the torsional stiffness up to 34,000 N·m/deg. Its ultra-low center of gravity, at 482.6mm, and wheel track of 1,685 mm has enabled ET5 to achieve a rollover-resistance rating of 1.7, above the NHTSA’s five-star criteria.

Of its domestic market, the automaker says that, by the end of 2022, it will have in total more than 1,300 Power Swap stations, 6,000 Power Chargers and 10,000 destination chargers across China, and connect over 30 destination charging routes, including the ones for the Silk Road and the tropical rainforest of Xishuangbanna.

After entering the market in Norway this year, NIO will introduce its products and user-centric service to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark in 2022. By 2025, it wants to establish a presence in more than 25 countries and regions worldwide.

— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_