Nio unveils ES8 and EC7 coupe SUV, an e-tron rival with market-leading aerodynamics

During Nio day 2022, the Chinese EV marker revealed two flagship SUVs, a refresh of the ES8 and the EC7 coupe SUV, which Nio claims features market-leading aerodynamics, a possible Audi e-tron rival.

Nio reveals two flagship electric SUVs

Nio held its annual event over the weekend under the theme “feel the light,” revealing a series of new products. William Li, founder and chairman of Nio, thanked the nearly 300,000 people that came out, saying:

Feel the Light – it shines on us with optimism, kindness and hope. Carrying on the great vibes at the NIO community, in 2023, we will continue to bring products, technologies and services globally for the experience beyond users’ expectations.

At the event, Nio released two new flagship electric SUVs. The Nio EC7 is a mid-large size coupe SUV equipped with intelligent air suspension, riding on Nio’s second-generation NT 2.0 tech platform. With a 300 kW induction motor combined with a 180 kW permanent magnet motor, the EC7 features 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, making it the fastest Nio SUV yet, and a possible rival to the Audi e-tron.

Meanwhile, according to Nio, the EC7 has a drag coefficient as low as 0.230cd, making it the most aerodynamic EV globally. In addition, the flagship coupe includes an adjustable rear wing, a first from the EV maker, enabling drag reduction and control.

On the inside, the SUV includes a 1.94 square meter panoramic sunroof with five levels of adjustable lightning. The price is around $70,000 for the 75 kWh battery and $78,500 for 100 kWh. Compared to the 2023 Audi e-tron, starting at $70,800.

The Nio ES8, on the other hand, is a six-seat smart electric SUV also based on the EV maker’s second-generation platform. The ES8 showcases two electric motors with a maximum output of 480 kW and a 0 to 100 km/h of 4.1 seconds.

The ES8 will start at around $75,000 for the 75 kWh battery and $84,000 for 100 kWh. Both new flagship SUVs are on sale now, with EC7 deliveries expected to start in May 2023, followed by ES8 deliveries in June 2023 in China.

Both the EC7 and ES8 come fully loaded with ADB intelligent multi-beam headlights with the ability to project patterns or animations, reduce glare, and emit alerting beams with Lidar and cameras.

Perhaps, more importantly, Nio’s new flagship SUVs feature fully autonomous battery swaps, where the vehicle can plant the route, drive to the power swap station, and automatically complete the exchange before hopping back on the highway. The feature will roll out in the first half of 2023.