NIO debuts its sleek new electric ET7 sedan with an estimated 600-mile range
The ET7 has self-driving functionality in mind for the future and the sensor package to back it up.
There's no denying that NIO's new ET7 sedan is extremely sleek.
Chinese EV manufacturer NIO is back from the brink of bankruptcy with a new, handsome electric sedan called the ET7. The ET7, though, has a lot more to offer than an electric drivetrain and a pretty face.
NIO's latest and greatest sedan, announced on Saturday, is especially noteworthy for the way it's integrated its advanced sensor package into its bodywork. Like other vehicles that use lidar, it has protruding sensors, but in the ET7's case, they've been cleanly integrated into the body. Ditto the 11 cameras and other sensors that make up the overall sensor package for NIO's self-driving car platform.
Of course, having all the sensors necessary for autonomous vehicle operation and actually being able to operate autonomously are two different things. Still, a bit of future-proofing is always nice, right? NIO's advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) package is called NAD, which stands for NIO Autonomous Driving and is made up of both NIO's Aquila Super Sensing and NIO Adam Super Computer systems.
The ET7's interior is minimalist but pleasant-looking and we like the 12.8-inch OLED center screen.
In addition to the "self-driving" tech, some big things are coming in the powertrain department, most notably with its battery. NIO claims that the ET7 will be good for a range of about 600 miles. Tha's a decent increase in range over vehicles like the Lucid Air and Tesla's Model S .
That range comes courtesy of an available 150-kilowatt-hour battery pack, a slippery body shape and a reasonably efficient pair of motors, which offer a combined output of 644 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. The ET7 features a pleasant-looking, if bland, interior with an OLED center infotainment screen. It's also the first vehicle to use Karuun, a renewable form of rattan sourced from tropical rainforests. Also on board is the creepy Nomi AI.
While the ET7 isn't likely going to be coming to the US (at least as far as we can tell), it is meant for NIO's home market of China as well as Europe. The presubsidy price in China for the Premier Edition comes in at 526,000 yuan (about $81,160 USD at time of publication). That's a shockingly reasonable price tag, considering its claims of range and its advanced sensor package. It's even available for less, if you buy it with NIO's battery-as-a-service program, which has you pay a subscription fee for your car's battery.
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