The young Chinese brand NIO, which just started selling electric cars in Europe, is quickly making one of the largest zero-emissions ranges on the market. NIO sells five electric models right now: the ES7 (called the EL7 in Europe), the NIO ES8, the NIO EC6, and the NIO ET5 and NIO ET7 sedans. Even though it also sells the NIO ES6, that model is being phased out in favor of the ES7/EL7.
The company will have a lot of firsts next year. On December 24, they showed off the new NIO EC7, which will replace the EC6, and the second generation of the NIO ES8, which will be based on the new NT2.0 modular platform. These models will include the promising new company's most recent technological advances.
The NIO EC7 is like a coupe version of the ES7. It differs from the ES7 because it has a more aerodynamic fastback profile. It is 4.98 meters long and can be bought with either a 75 kWh or 100 kWh battery, which gives it a range of either 490 km CLTC (the WLTP equivalent of the Chinese automakers) or 635 km CLTC. Later, it will get the third pack with semi-solid cells, 150 kWh (940 km CLTC).
The new NIO ES8 has a powertrain with two engines producing 653 hp (480 kW). It has an all-wheel drive and can be bought with 75, 100, or 150 kWh packs. It has an official range of 465, 605, or 900 km CLTC. It is longer than its predecessor (5.10 meters instead of 5.02 meters), and it has a LiDAR on the roof that makes it compatible with the NAD (NIO Autonomous Driving) semi-autonomous driving system.
There will be more electric cars from NIO coming out in 2023. The NIO company is already working on a wagon version of the NIO ET5, an unusual body style for an electric D-segment car. The Volkswagen ID AERO variant will come out the same year and will be its main competitor. It will be sold with three batteries of 75, 100, and 150 kWh, just like its brothers.
Everything points to the fact that the company is also making an SUV version of the ET5 called the NIO ES5. The sedan competes with the Tesla Model 3, so NIO's new baby will have to go up against the Tesla Model Y, which will be the best-selling electric car in the world by the end of the year.
Even though NIO wants to launch a new brand of generalist electric cars to take over markets where the parent company's high-end products could do better, it is unclear if this will happen next year. What is known is that Spain, France, and Italy will be the first countries to get this new signature.
