The NIO ET7 has three protrusions at the end of the roof, right at the front. In the middle is a LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) unit, and on the sides are cameras. It is somewhat reminiscent of an American truck with all the lights on the roof, which is slightly amusing when it comes to a new luxurious Chinese car. But it is also a badge of honor: after all, this is the ideal position for these sensors, as high as possible, for the improvement of visibility. NIO did what was right, not necessarily what was most aesthetically pleasing. Spoiler: this is also felt positively while driving.
The Chinese NIO, founded only nine years ago by serial entrepreneur William Li, followed Tesla's model as a technology company that produces electric vehicles. Unlike Elon Musk, Li is not involved in space launches, but his company already has nine models in production compared to Tesla's five.
Three of them are already being marketed in the country, the saloon ET7 we drove, alongside the ET5 in the executive category, and the ES8 as a 7-seater electric crossover. Another two crossovers, ES6 and ES7, will be launched in the coming months.
The importer is Delta Motors, an importer of Mazda, Ford and BMW, and in a unique way she does so through parallel import through the NIO agent in Norway. Delta will also build in the country initially two battery swap stations, similar to those NIO has installed more than 1,000 in China and Europe, allowing for a swap within two minutes.
Do you remember the idea of Shay Agassi and Better Place? The Chinese implemented it in small, cheap and more efficient stations, which allow treating electric cars like gasoline cars in terms of refueling times. This could be an interesting sales advantage when such a network exists here, as not every driver has the ability to charge the car at home or at work.
Meanwhile, the ET7 needs to speak for itself. Shall we begin?
Design: Besides the sensors on the roof, this is another Chinese electric sedan, according to all the genre rules designed to build aerodynamic cars. With a length of 5.1 meters, width of 1.99 meters, height of 1.51 meters, and a huge wheelbase of 3.96 meters, it is a large car with a lot of presence, but not of the aggressive type. Half a million shekels, but modest.
Passenger compartment: Here too there is some restraint, far from the flamboyance we have seen in some other Chinese luxury brands, with extensive use of natural materials resembling wood and leather. There is a 12.8-inch multimedia screen and operation, and also a digital dashboard (10.2 inches), again unlike Tesla and other smart brands that cram all driving and operation into one screen.
On the other hand, there is an exaggerated abandonment of physical control buttons, everything is done from the screen, which requires problematic navigation while driving between screens. Luckily, there is efficient voice control through the personal assistant NOMI, otherwise I would never have been able to open the charging port (why does it have to be electric at all, and not open by touch?).
Like in Tesla, and like in Elon Musk's vehicles, there is no cover for the panoramic glass roof, which is expected to be bothersome in the summer. Not all innovations need to be copied. The quality is high except for an application installed locally to allow use of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, suffering from a laggy display.
The seating is very comfortable, both in the front and no less in the back. It's a shame that in a car of this size, there is only a 363-liter cargo space, like some half-priced supermini car.
Equipment: there is an option to choose between 20 and 21-inch wheels, upholstery made of natural and recycled materials, a panoramic roof, a stereo with 23 speakers, 10.2-inch and 12.8-inch touchscreens for operation and multimedia, in addition to an upper display for the driver and a 6.6-inch screen in the back, allowing passengers to control lighting, seat operation, and stereo.
There is also massage function in the rear outer seats, heating and cooling, even a fragrance system and an electrically retractable towing hook as standard. Only 363 liters in the back, and unlike other electric cars, there is no front cargo space.
Safety: The list is long and includes autonomous emergency braking in forward and reverse driving, adaptive cruise control, off-road vehicle alert, lane keeping and correction, automatic high beam, door opening alert when a vehicle is approaching, and more. Last year, the ET7 received the maximum score of 5 out of 5 stars in the stricter new European crash test.
Engine and Performance: With two engines producing a combined 653 horsepower and also creating dual propulsion, it is one of the most powerful salon cars in the country, stronger than several sports cars, including the Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche 911.
The performance is excellent, even when driving in an energy-saving mode that sacrifices acceleration for improved range, with rapid accelerations up to the point of inducing nausea in Sport Plus mode (3.8 seconds from 0 to 100 in the official data). It is possible to overtake anything anywhere it is allowed.
On the other hand, the race to 0-100 is somewhat distant: these are performances that are significantly higher than the average driver's, as can already be seen in the accident data of electric vehicles.
NIO offers something unique when choosing the Eco mode for electric saving, setting its acceleration rate: remaining with the original figure, slowing down to 5.9 seconds, 7.9 seconds, 9.9 seconds, or 13.5 seconds, which is really excessive on the other hand. Perhaps such a choice should be offered without regard to energy saving, even when driven by a less experienced driver.
Charging range: A 100 kWh battery officially promises a range of 580 km with 20-inch wheels and 505 with 21-inch wheels, which were installed in the test vehicle. With moderate driving, we mostly achieved 450 km, still decent. When the battery replacement network is established, it will be truly convenient. For now, fast charging is possible with a maximum power output of relatively slow 125 kW. Slow charging is possible at a standard 11 kW, while some competitors already offer slow charging at 22 kW.
Comfort and behavior: The ride is very quiet, and the comfort of the ride is excellent thanks to the adaptive air suspensions. Road behavior is very good, with high grip and minimal tendency to sway in turns.
But despite the excellent performance, this is not a sporty sedan, lacking feedback from the steering. The braking could also be more assertive, especially for a vehicle with such performance.
The bottom line: Half a million shekels is a lot of money for an unknown Chinese brand, even one that has garnered significant interest worldwide. The ET7 justifies its premium positioning in capabilities, equipment, and performance. Human engineering still poses a challenge for affluent customers to switch to it, but it is preferred over a Tesla, for example.
Unlike some more expensive Chinese cars, it is imported by a BMW importer, ensuring a high level of service: the price includes free maintenance for five years, a 24/7 service center, and cars will be picked up from customers, who will receive a replacement NIO while their vehicle is in the workshop. Each customer will be accompanied by a personal service manager throughout the ownership period of the vehicle.
The high price is a relative matter: this NIO is equipped and cheaper by 100,000 shekels than the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE, and Tesla Model S basics, and it is significantly faster than those from Germany, for example. NIO still needs to prove itself as aforementioned in service and the second-hand market, but right now, if there is a luxury car for half a million shekels that one can define as a "deal" - this is the car.