Chinese automaker Nio has just unveiled the ET5, its mid-size EV sedan, almost a year after the debut of the Nio ET7. Like its big sister, the ET5 offers an impressive range of 1,000 km, for a reduced price.
While the Nio ET7 came to attack the Tesla Model S, the new Nio ET5 directly competes with the Tesla Model 3. Nio’s new electric sedan is powered by two electric motors 150 kW at the front and 210 kW at the rear, producing a combined power of 360 kW or 483 hp and a torque of 700 Nm. According to the automaker, the ET5 can accelerate to 100 km / h in 4.3 seconds, against 6.1 seconds for the classic Tesla Model 3.
Inside, the infotainment screen has been replaced by a ‘virtual reality device’ capable of project a 201 inch wide screen, although it is not clear exactly how it works or what benefits it brings to users. At the rear, the electric car displays a trendy LED light bar, and the curves are reminiscent of recent designs by Jaguar and Porsche.
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The Nio ET5 is a champion of autonomy
The ET5 offers battery options including 75 kWh packs for an advertised range of over 550 km, 100 kWh for an advertised range of over 700 km and a 150 kWh option that will exceed 1,000 km between two charges. It is therefore much more than the Tesla Model 3 2022, which offers 491 km, 614 km or 547 km depending on the configuration chosen. It’s also better than the much more expensive Lucid Air, which offers a maximum range of 837 km.
The new Nio ET5 will be available in China from September. Its starting price is 328,000 yuan (45,609 euros) before government grants, or 258,000 yuan (35,875 euros) if customers decide to rent the battery. The entry-level Tesla Model 3 is offered at a slightly lower price of 255,652 yuan (35,549 euros) in China, after subsidies.
In addition, the ET5 will be equipped with autonomous driving functionality from launch and “ will gradually achieve a safe and reassuring autonomous driving experience for scenarios such as highways, urban areas, parking and battery change “. These features will be offered to owners after launch, for the equivalent of one monthly subscription of around one hundred euros.
