NIO House

nio age5 — On the NAF's practice track, you could test the 4-wheel drive.

On the same day that the first customers received their cars, I got a closer look at Nio's "little" newcomer. Here are my first impressions.

New models from Nio

Nio's currently smallest model is far from a small car, but small compared to the other models from Nio and the first low-built car in a sedan version. Prices start from 426 with Battery-as-a-Service and 000 with the smallest battery of 531 kwh. This is a popular price range where you get a long range and four-wheel drive. Nio ET500 shares a user interface with the larger models, including the excellent system for voice control. according to Marius Hayler, Managing Director, NIO Norway, Nio will soon launch three new models that will further complement the model range.

Nio ET5 can be delivered in 9 different colours. Oddly enough, it was nicest in black, I think.

look and feel

When you unlock the car, the door handles slide out. The doors close with "soft-close". Inside you can choose 4 colours. Several of the cars had a bright interior with a Flux-like green tone. Inside, the full panoramic roof creates a good sense of space. The seats seemed firm, and I quickly found a good driving position. With the comfort package you get seats with heating, ventilation and massage. The user interface is screen-based as on the Tesla, with a multifunction steering wheel, as well as voice control. The interior is modern and minimalist, where advanced mood lighting and premium music systems can help create a special atmosphere. In evening lighting, the mood lighting can be made to move in time with the music. Just ask Nomi!

Behind the wheel

There are 6 different driving programs, Sport+, Sport, Comfort, Eco and Snow, Trailer, as well as a custom one. Soon there will also be a driving program for sand and wet roads. Driving around NAF's closed practice track didn't give a proper road feel, but my general impression is that the car seems firm like a Tesla without tipping and dove. The steering feel was good and at low speed the systems kept the car stable in tight evasive manoeuvres. The four-wheel drive system engaged seamlessly. Nio ET5 can stop from 100 km/h in just 33,8 meters and on the smooth sections the speed was reduced quickly without any drama.

Equipped for self-driving functions

I have not familiarized myself with the car's self-driving features, but the ET5 is equipped with 7 high-resolution cameras, 4 surround cameras, LIDAR, radar, ultrasonic sensors and more. I tested self-parking and it worked impressively. Firstly, the system could mark all parking spaces on the screen, and maneuver the car to the desired space, even if it was several car lengths away.

The Nio ET5 has brake calipers made by Nio. Larger models have Brembo brakes.

The rear part is successful. Looks like a hatchback, but is a regular sedan. Visibility to the rear through the rear window is limited.

Say hello to Nomi!

Nomi is Nio's version of the Apple Homebox. You can ask Nomi anything about the car - and probably a bit more, if she's in the mood. She can hear who is speaking. If the passenger requests a massage, she starts the massage in the passenger seat. The voice control works well, and enables the driver to stay focused on the road. It is perfect for those of us who need reading glasses to read the screen. In the Nio ET5, it is optional equipment to have Nomi "Humanized" with its characteristic eyes visible on the dashboard. In the standard version, Nomi is "Simplified" without eyes. Understandably, some people find that it can be disturbing that someone follows them all the time. Did you know that Nomi actually stands for "know me"?

Almost everyone rents batteries

According to Marius Hayler, 96 percent of customers have chosen to rent batteries - Battery-as-a-Service. That is a surprisingly high proportion, especially when you consider that most Norwegians might want to own. Those who rent can use it Power Swap along the road. It only takes 5 minutes to change the batteries. Another aspect of renting batteries is that the rent includes 200 kwh per month from Nios Power Swap or Power Charge stations. Today there are 4 stations, but that number could rise to approximately 20, based on obtaining building permits.

Comes with a 150 kwh battery

It is also worth mentioning that battery hire allows you to change the battery size as needed. Today you get a 75 kwh or 100 kwh battery, while Nio's large 150 kwh battery will soon be rolled out in China. The Nio ET5 is prepared for these batteries, so if you rent a 100 kwh battery today, you can upgrade to 150 kwh – probably before the end of the year. Also consider that even if you, as the first owner, do not need the largest battery, the next owner is free to choose. That could make Nio attractive on the used market.

The Nio ET5 is larger and has more equipment than the Tesla Model 3 (Terjes Bilers' reportage car).

Facts about the NIO ET5 100kwh

Weights and Measures
Length, width, height: 479 x 191 x 150 cm
Wheelbase: 289 cm
Net weight without driver: 2160 kg
Luggage compartment: 386 liters (no "Frunk")
Max trailer weight: 1400 kg

Range
Battery capacity 100 kwh: Range: 590 km WLTP

Performances
Total power: 489 HP
Torque: 700 Nm
0-100: 4,0 seconds
Top speed: 200 km/h

Prices 100 kwh (incl. taxes)
Battery-as-a-Servce: NOK 426 + NOK 250 per month
Including batteries: NOK 629

Recommended accessories
Electric towbar: 9*

Comfort package: 12*
-Heated steering wheel.
-Electrically adjustable front seats with adjustable lumbar and thigh support.
-Front seat with ventilation and massage.
-Seat heating in the back.
- Fragrance system
-Air purifier/ionization system

Winter tires: 32

Can be ordered online. Delivery time approx. 4 months.

*Stated price without VAT. All or part of the amount is subject to VAT if the total exceeds 500.

The trunk takes 386 litres. The rear seats are foldable. No "miss".

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NIO Norway

This is a new trend for promoting new cars: You open a "lounge" or "lobby" where people can come in and warm up with a cup of coffee or something similar, read a bit on their mobile phone or chat. Inside this idyll there are also a couple of nice cars...

Snobbish location at the Grand Hotel

NIO could hardly have chosen a better place to profile itself. NIO House is located on the first floor of the former Hotel Nobel on Karl Johan, right next to Grand Café and Bjerke Urmaker. In warm lighting with visibility from Karl Johans gate, supercars such as the NIO EVE and EP9 can be glimpsed. On the other side of the hotel entrance is a coffee bar in the same style and colours.

welcome inside

You don't need to show a membership card or business-class ticket to let yourself into the heat. Around the cars, there are "supervisors" - not pushy salespeople. Once you have familiarized yourself with the car (currently only ES8), you can order a test drive. You should have done that in advance - online. For now, the only location is NIO House Oslo centre. Many would probably prefer a more open landscape for their first drive in a large, electric SUV.

Currently only ES8

The NIO ES8 is just over 5 meters long, almost 2 meters wide and weighs 2,4 tonnes. The SUV is a typical representative of the "gigantomania" that is ravaging the car market. If you take a closer look at the car - a Signature 6 seater - there is little doubt that it belongs in the premium segment. The price tag of 609 seems almost ridiculously low. That's because the batteries are not included. You have to add 000 for the "standard range" batteries of 90 kwh and 000 for the "long range". With 75 kWh, the car has a range of 160 km (WLTP).

Tasteful and luxurious interior in NIO ES8

Battery as a service

The concept is that NIO ensures that the car has power on the batteries. If you choose to leie batteries instead of owning them, you can benefit from NIO's "battery swap" stations that will be placed in a network. The first has already arrived at Kjellstad, where the "Lierbommen" was located. You can drive in there and change to a fully charged battery in 5 minutes. In China, other services are also offered, such as someone picking up your car, charging it for you, and putting it back in its place. Or that there will be a "charging van" where a guy puts your car on charge and has a smoke while your batteries are being recharged.

Can open up new opportunities

NIO's extended battery service can open up new possibilities. According to one of the customer advisors, most people choose to rent batteries. Those who choose the NIO ES8 Signature LR thus get a car in the top luxury segment for "only" NOK 609. Included in the price is a home charger (without assembly). In addition, the battery rent is NOK 000 per month - or NOK 1999 for the "standard range". The rent gives access to 1399 kwh and 200 free battery changes per month in the "battery bow". It will be interesting to see how this develops. Tesla considered both battery rental and battery replacement - but decided against it. Renault Zoe has battery rental as an "option" - but that did not attract Norwegian customers.

NIO ET7 is 5,09 meters long with a range of 1000 km

OIL ET7

The sedan version ET7 on display in NIO House is a one-of-a-kind. They will be rolled out to the first customers in China in a few weeks. Currently, no one is registered in Norway. We don't know much about it other than that it is 5,09 meters long (!) and has a stated drag coefficient that is as good as the latest Tesla S and almost as good as the Mercedes-Benz EQS. The range with a 100 kwh battery is stated to be 1000 km (NEDC).

ES6 and ET5 could become big sellers

The ES6 is 4,85 meters long and is only offered as a 5-seater. It has been in production for over two years, but will not arrive in Norway until 2023. Then the NIO ET5 will also arrive, which - if the price is right - could become a "Tesla 3 killer". The Tesla 3, produced in Shanghai, is currently hugely popular in China. All Tesla 3 and Tesla Y imported into Norway today are manufactured in Shanghai.

The special cars

The NIO EP9 is the world's fastest electric car. It does 0-100 in 2,9 seconds – enough to inhibit the blood supply to the head. The future car NIO EVE is a self-driving prototype that was shown for the first time in 2017. Then it was said that the model would be put into production in 2020. That did not happen. The world is probably not yet ready for cars where all 6 passengers can sit facing each other without anyone having to drive. The entire roof is transparent, but the side windows contain controllable "pigments" to prevent visibility and keep the sun out.

If you are visiting Oslo, it is recommended to pay a visit to NIO House. Soon they will also come to Bergen, Stavanger, Trondheim and Kristiansand.

In the same family – NIO EP9 super sports car and NIO ES8

Interior concept in a fully self-driving prototype – NIO EVE

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