Nio ET5: The Chinese Tesla Model 3 Promises Record Range
This page is translated from the original post "Nio ET5 : la Tesla Model 3 chinoise promet une autonomie record" in French.
- 21/12/2021 18:00
The Nio ET5 is a 100% electric sedan rivaling the Tesla Model 3 in every aspect. It will be launched next year in China and in a few European countries.
On Saturday, December 18, Nio unveiled the ET5, a fully electric sedan directly competing with the benchmark in electric cars, the Tesla Model 3. The Nio ET5 also promises a minimalist and futuristic design, breathtaking performance, and convincing autonomous driving. The “Chinese Model 3” stands out for its claimed ranges.
Record Battery Capacity
Indeed, the Nio ET5 is available with three battery capacities, including a record capacity for any personal vehicle of all sizes, logically allowing it to claim an unprecedented range:
- Standard Range: 75 kWh, 550 km range
- Long Range: 100 kWh, 700 km range
- Ultralong Range: 150 kWh, 1,000 km range
This is based on the Chinese homologation cycle CLTC (China Light-duty Vehicle Test Cycle), which is even more optimistic than the European WLTP homologation.
Record Autonomy
In comparison, a Tesla Model 3 Performance, equipped with a 75 kWh battery, promises a CLTC range of 675 km, but a WLTP range of 547 km. At first glance, the Nio ET5 appears less efficient than the Tesla Model 3, one of the benchmarks in the industry, despite its Cx of 0.24. If we apply the ratio between CLTC and WLTP for the Tesla Model 3 to the Nio, the ET5 could offer respectively 445 km, 567 km, and 810 km of WLTP range, which would still be a record. The current record holder is the enormous Mercedes EQS 450+, claiming a WLTP range of 780 km with its 107.8 kWh battery.
Battery Swap in Less Than 5 Minutes
In addition to offering impressive ranges, the Nio ET5 won’t need to stop for long when the batteries are depleted. Nio relies on swappable batteries: the driver stops at a battery swap station, a robot replaces the empty battery with a fully charged one in less than 5 minutes, and you’re back on the road. You can also recharge the battery by plugging in the car, but the manufacturer has not disclosed the charging powers.
Cutting-Edge Technologies
In its most powerful version, the Nio ET5 is equipped with a 150 kW motor at the front, a 210 kW motor at the rear, totaling 360 kW (480 horsepower) and a maximum torque of 700 Nm, enabling it to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.
The interior features a tablet with a 12.8-inch OLED screen, a 10.2-inch instrument cluster, Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 sound system, and heavily uses natural or recycled materials.
Price and Release Date
The first deliveries are scheduled in China in September 2022. The starting price is 328,000 yuan (45,500 euros). Nio also offers a Battery as a Service (BaaS) option, reducing the purchase price to 258,000 yuan (35,800 euros). The company rents 75 and 100 kWh batteries for 980 and 1,860 yuan per month (136 and 259 euros per month).
Nio will have 1,300 battery swap stations in China by the end of 2022. The manufacturer began its international expansion in 2021, starting in Norway. It plans to launch in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark in 2022. It aims to establish presence in 25 countries by 2025. Nio has already partnered with Shell to install battery swap stations across Europe.
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