The author, Mitang, is a NIO ET6 owner and the views expressed in this article are his own.
We interviewed Mitang who has been invited for NIO ET7 test drive. Price starting at $71,000 before subsidies, NIO ET7 flagship sedan is said to be competing with Tesla Model S, BMW Series 5 and A6L.
Though we have not been able to experience the Lidar and HD camera functions, the test drive remained a comprehensive experience of the vehicle, which is on production at its Anhui province plant since 10 March and will begin delivery on 28 March.
Let’s go straight into NIO ET7 and its test drive feedback.
NIO ET7 Launch in Germany
Currently, ES8 is the only model that sells in Norway, but according to William Li, founder and CEO of NIO, ET7 aims to enter Germany and Norway market by the end of 2022.
According to February 2022 report, NIO ES8 is the second best selling EV in Norway, with 23 vehicles, accounting for 1% of all NEV shares. NIO explained during 2021 Q3 Conference call that the low number of deliveries are due to controlled pace, not lack of orders.
Premium Battery Swap and Charging Service
NIO is known both in China and to some extent internationally for its Battery as a Service (BaaS), in which NIO car owners can choose whether to rent or purchase batteries with affordable budget and premium services.
Mitang, as the first 20,000 NIO car owners, has become an avid volunteer and community member of NIO after few years of 4S experience in China. According to Mitang, he used to get fueled twice a week at gas station, just to avoid from other cars cutting cues, and troublesome handling with receipts.
When heard about NIO’s business models and experienced how it prioritize users in its operations, Mitang gradually became more interested and eventually switched from fuel to electric vehicle, making an order of ET6 in 2019.
However, what really struck him with NIO was its one stop charging services. Once, when Mitang was travelling from Shanghai to Moganshan, the battery went out. NIO staff came all the way from Hangzhou to Moganshan and charged the vehicle for him. Though it was in 2019, when there weren’t enough charging stations, it was at that time Mitang truly understood how much efforts NIO puts in to alleviate mileage anxiety of EV users.”
Sense of Community
The premium services NIO provides attract a group of loyal fans from affluent background to support for NIO. At NIO House, NIO provides luxury spaces for NIO users to relax whilst charging.
Before the Drive
- Color: It is with consensus that ET7 is best with Southern Star color. The ET7 is white in interior, which is the main color used by NIO, bringing brighter and warmer tone to the atmosphere. The handling is in wooden grain, making the outlook more elegant.
- Space: It’s a spacious sedan, with sufficient leg space. The seats are soft, which is much better than ET6, which I now possess. The massage is good, almost comparable to that of in Olsen.
- Lighting Ambient lights are separated into different parts and are in various different colors.
- Stereo Sounds Excellent. I really enjoy watching films in the car.
During the Drive
NIO staff first drove for 30-40 minutes, provide basic instructions.
- Steering and handling The steering wheels are bigger and rougher than expected. Can feel the road through the steering wheel.
- Acceleration: Downshift quickly and smoothly, with that of 3.8 second. Consistent with NIO style, which is light, suitable for female drivers.
- Braking: What I particularly like about the braking is that with the power feedback, the car will automatically decelerate without pressing the pedal. I can use the accelerator pedal for control.
Test the Tech, Too
- NOMI: Very much liked by families.
- Stereo: Speaker over head.
