This Nio offers 1000 kilometers of range

The Nio ET5 offers in China a 150 kWh battery that provides a theoretical range of 1000 km. Exploitation or mere illusion?

Until now, the Nio ET5 and ET5 Touring models were offered as entry-level options with a 75 kWh battery, with an optional long-range 100 kWh battery. That’s already impressive, but apparently not enough for the Chinese manufacturer, which has revealed a semi-solid 150 kWh battery produced by WeLion. Before judging the usefulness of this pack, let’s recall that the 100 kWh battery already weighs 555 kilograms, roughly the weight of a small thermal city car just a few years ago!

According to WeLion, the weight of the ultra-long-range battery would be 575 kg, only 20 kg more than the 100 kWh battery used by Nio. The curb weight of the car equipped with the new battery is announced as 2,214 kg for the sedan and 2,254 kg for the wagon. 20 kg for a 50% increase in range, and perhaps, for once, weight is not the enemy of good?

At the end of 2023, a Nio ET7 equipped with this 150 kWh battery and piloted by founder William Li set a record by covering 1,044 km on a single charge, managing to finish its journey in turtle mode with 3% battery capacity remaining. A 14-hour effort broadcast live by the manufacturer. Needless to say, at an average of 74 km/h, the spectacle was a bit sleep-inducing, but the achievement is undeniable. This battery, announced for the first time during Nio Day 2020, has taken time to become available in the catalog, but it will soon be a reality. Nio announces that deliveries will begin in April 2024.

The gain in range at the expense of lightness is an absurdity that we constantly denounce. However, we must grant Nio the benefit of the doubt if all these figures prove to be accurate.

READ ALSO: The Porsche Taycan reveals its new look and its range