NIO has unveiled its latest aerodynamically-designed electric SUV. The NIO EC7 SUV is an all-electric coupe with a 0.23 drag coefficient and the capability to do automatic battery swaps on the highway.
The Annual NIO day celebration was the event that heralded the EC7, as well as a refreshed ES8 SUV. Both models are built from the NIO NT 2.0 platform, with LiDAR and Nvidia Orin hardware. The EC7 and ES8 will get an autonomous driving software suite after their release next year.
The EC7 has an electric rear wing that delivers the lowest drag coefficient of 0.23. NIO claims that the EC7 SUV has the best aerodynamics of any mass-produced EV. The new NIO EV also features a smart dimming panoramic roof, which is also a first for an NIO EV. It can go from 0 to 62mph (100km/h) in 3.8 seconds, thanks to its 480kw dual-motor system.
The refreshed ES8 SUV has a 480kW dual motor that powers the car from 0-100km/h in 4.1 seconds. The ES8 is a bit larger than the EC7 and comes with a wheelbase of 3,070mm. The luxurious interior of the vehicle features a five-zone A/C, PanoCamera panoramic digital cockpit, and 7.1 surround sound.
Another highlight of the 2022 NIO day was the unveiling of the automatic battery swap capacity in its EVs. The latest NIO EVs can plan their route and drive autonomously to the swap station and change the battery without any interference from the driver. The EV can then pull away and navigate into the highway again. NIO has already commenced building these battery swap stations in Europe and it expects to break even in 2024.
The NIO EC7 will enter the market in May 2023 with a starting price of $69,830 for the base model with a 75kWh battery. The refreshed ES8 SUV starts at $75,539 for the base version, but deliveries will start in June 2023.
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