The Chinese EV manufacturer unveiled two flagship SUVs on Nio Day 2022: a refresh of the ES8 and the EC7 coupe SUV, which Nio claims has market-leading aerodynamics and could be a rival to the Audi e-tron.
Nio uncovers two flagship electric SUVs
Under the theme “feel the light,” Nio held its annual event over the weekend and unveiled a series of new products. Nio chairman and founder William Li expressed gratitude to the nearly 300,000 attendees, saying:
“Feel the Light – it shines on us with optimism, kindness and hope. Carrying on the great vibes at the NIO community, in 2023, we will continue to bring products, technologies and services globally for the experience beyond users’ expectations.”
Nio presented two brand-new electric SUVs at the event. The Nio EC7 is a mid-huge size car SUV equipped with intelligent air suspension, riding on Nio’s second-age NT 2.0 tech stage. The EC7 can go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 3.8 seconds thanks to a 300 kW induction motor and 180 kW permanent magnet motor. This makes it the fastest Nio SUV to date and could compete with the Audi e-tron.
In the meantime, Nio claims that the EC7 is the most aerodynamic electric vehicle on the market with a drag coefficient of just 0.230 cd. The company’s first-ever adjustable rear wing makes it possible to control and reduce drag in the flagship coupe.
The SUV has a panoramic sunroof that covers 1.94 square meters and has five levels of adjustable lighting. The 75 kWh battery costs approximately $70,000, while the 100 kWh battery costs $78,500. Compared to the $70,800 Audi e-tron of 2023.
In contrast, the Nio ES8, a smart electric SUV with six seats, is also built on the second-generation platform of the electric vehicle manufacturer. The ES8 has two electric motors with a maximum output of 480 kW and a 4.1-second acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h.
The 75 kWh version of the ES8 will start around $75,000, while the 100 kWh version will cost $84,000. Both new leader SUVs are at a bargain now, with EC7 conveyances expected to begin in May 2023, trailed by ES8 conveyances in June 2023 in China.
ADB intelligent multi-beam headlights with the ability to project patterns or animations, reduce glare, and emit alerting beams with Lidar and cameras are standard equipment on both the EC7 and ES8.
Perhaps even more significant is the fact that Nio’s newest flagship SUVs offer fully autonomous battery swaps. This means that the vehicle can plan the route, drive to the power swap station, and then automatically complete the swap before resuming its travel on the highway. In the first half of 2023, the feature will be released.
