NIO takes on Tesla

Electric vehicle start-up NIO have launched their first production car, the ES8 – a 7-seater high performance electric SUV. With both front and rear motors, the ES8 delivers 480 kilowatts of power and 840 Nm of torque to all four wheels, enabling the ES8 to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds. The ES8 is equipped with a 70-kilowatt-hour battery pack comprised of cutting-edge VDA square cell batteries. These cells feature the highest energy density of their kind and provide a 2,000-charge lifecycle. The ES8 achieves over 500 kilometres of range when constantly run at 60 kph, and the car achieves an NEDC range of 355 kilometres. The ES8 is produced at a world-class fully automated factory. The ES8 will finish a 3,000,000 km road test before NIO begins delivering the vehicle to users. Buyers of the Nio ES8 can also have the battery swapped out at power-swap stations in three minutes, or charge it via a service vehicle that travels to you. The ES8 also comes with an autonomous driving system similar to Tesla's, with a variety of cameras and sensors making it capable of self-driving on main roads and motorways. Power Mobile is a brand-new power service product developed by NIO, which enables an ES8 to run 100 kilometres after charging for ten minutes. By 2020, NIO plans to build over 1,100 Power Swap Stations and deploy over 1,200 Power Mobile vehicles. “We hope that we can have more people interested in smart electric vehicles by presenting ultimate products and services, and then we can achieve our vision of bringing back blue skies.” NIO Founder and Chairman, William Li, said at the inaugural NIO Day. “ NIO wants people to enjoy owning a car again and aspires to redefine the experience of owning a car. The ES8 launch is another beginning for NIO.” The NIO ES8 has a base price of RMB 448,000 (NZ$97,000) before subsidies. There's no official confirmation of a launch in the US or Europe, but bosses are planning to expand beyond their home market.