This is the final production version of the NIO ES8
electric SUV, ready for its launch on the Chinese car market on December 12.
NIO, formerly known as Next EV, is a new Chinese electric vehicle brand. They
ES8 is their first passenger car. They are also developing the limited-edition
NIO EP9 electric supercar.
NIO doesn’t have its own factory. The ES8 and
subsequent vehicles will be manufactured by a joint venture between NIO and the
Jianghuai Automotive Corporation (JAC). The joint venture is called
Jianghuai-Weilai, with Weilai being the Chinese name of NIO. Interestingly,
this JAC is the very same company that recently agreed a joint venture with
Volkswagen to develop and manufacture a series of cheap EVs for China.
Total output is 326 hp and 420 Nm, good for 0-100 in
4.4 seconds. 0-50 is gone in 2.2 seconds. Top speed is 200 km/h but it can
only do this for 1 kilometer with a special boost. Real life top-speed is 180
km/h and this it can do for 30 minutes until the battery runs empty.
On a careful side note: there are some indications
that the ES8 doesn’t have one motor, but two, each with 326 hp and 420 Nm. We
are not sure if this is true. If so total output would be 652 hp and 840 Nm.
This would explain the 0-100 in just 4.4 seconds. The ES8 weighs 2460 kilo and
it isn’t very aerodynamic, 326 hp doesn’t seem quite enough for such a fast
sprint.
Range is 355 kilometers (NEDC) and 500 kilometers
when an average cruising speed of 60 kilometers per hour (this is a much used
non-official Chinese standard). Battery: 192 Ah/67 kWh. Charging: 8 hours for a
full charge on 220V and one hour for 80% charge on a fast charger. Size in 5022/1962/1756 mm, wheelbase is 3010 mm, and curb weight is a hefty 2460 kilo. It
will seat seven in a 2/3/2 configuration.
The ES8 has
digital instrument panel, a large touch screen in the middle, and a head-up
display (HUD). NIO badge on the steering wheel.
Cr : Carnewschina
