NIO breaks into the luxury market with the ET9

The NIO Day 2023 currently taking place in Xi’an is an opportunity for the Chinese brand to showcase its flagship ET9.

The NIO Day, the annual major event of the Chinese manufacturer, had the theme “A New Journey” this year. Over 10,000 brand fans gathered at the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center Stadium for the event.

NIO presents the ET9 as an intelligent electric sedan designed to meet the ultimate needs of discerning users. Quite a program.

The model measures 5,324 mm in length, 2,016 mm in width, and 1,620 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,250 mm. Its official delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025. However, pre-orders for the model started right from its debut, with a reference pre-sale price of 800,000 yuan, or 100,000 euros. It’s expensive, but stay tuned to learn more before judging.

NIO announced that the ET9 has revolutionized the concept of mobile executive space by integrating a mobile office and a business meeting lounge. A pure four-seater, the cabin measures 2,049 millimeters in length and 1,563 millimeters in width, effectively providing a luxurious private lounge. Innovations such as the “Sky Island” and “Executive Bridge” designs have resulted in four exclusive first-class seating experiences. Inside the “Executive Bridge,” a meticulously designed and continuously adjustable 360° executive desk awaits second-row passengers, offering versatility from all angles. The rear seats of the ET9 feature 24 patented technologies, a maximum tilt angle of 45°, a seat cushion width of 582 mm, and 11 tilt adjustments for one-touch relaxation. Additionally, the vehicle is equipped with seven electric sun visors, all operable with a simple press.

The NIO ET9 is equipped with the “SkyRide Intelligent Chassis System,” which combines three systems: electric steering, rear-wheel steering, and fully active suspension. The suspension can perform 1,000 adjustments per second, with independent control of all four wheels, thus responding to various driving requirements in different scenarios, including complex road conditions such as rough terrains.

You get it, the ET9 is introducing for the first time in large production a “steer-by-wire” digital steering control. No mechanical component connects the steering wheel to the wheels, which are commanded by servos similar to a remote-controlled car.

The NIO ET9 is equipped with China’s first “900 V high-voltage architecture,” promising unprecedented charging times and driving ranges. We’re talking more than 1,500 kilometers on a single charge and 5 minutes to recover 250 km. Could the last frontier between combustion and electric finally be breaking down before our eyes?