A hum breaks the silence. Electric sedan looking around. I don’t notice anything. The buzz is gone again. I look back at the road and enjoy the calm that electric driving makes relaxing.
Then again this hum, as if servo motors were moving something. This time I’m looking at the little ball on the dashboard. Two digital eyes look back and wink at me. I forgot Nomi. Chinese electric car maker Nio gave its digital assistant in the car a face and a female voice.
new family members
Nomi is out of voice control for infotainment. Instead of choosing its own brand as a keyword, Nio chose Amazon and Apple. Even more than Alexa or Siri, the Nomi and therefore the car should be a family member too. That’s why Nomi can spin in the ball in all directions – and that’s what I heard. It initially makes the quiet electric driving experience a bit uncomfortable, but I quickly get used to the Nomi’s action.
The ET7 is Nio’s flagship and the first model to go into effect immediately in Europe. With a length of 5.10 meters, it competes with the BMW i7, Mercedes EQS or Tesla Model S in the luxury class. The appearance is characterized by a stylish front, a streamlined hatchback for greater range, cameras and sensors. The cameras provide assistance systems with eight gigabytes of data per second!
role model
The cockpit is clearly inspired by Tesla. Digital gauges display 3D models of all vehicles around the ET7. The system can even distinguish motorcycles from scooters or bicycles and also recognizes pedestrians. All settings are made using the large touchscreen under the Nomi. The menus and operation are also reminiscent of Tesla. The only difference is the US electric pioneer: the Chinese also offer a head-up display.
When it comes to the choice of materials and processing, the Chinese took the lead from top-notch German brands: beautiful wood veneers, leather or sustainable alternatives, and ambient lighting. The quality is accurate and sometimes exceeds the German competition. The Nio was just a little stingy when it came to USB ports. There are two hidden in the center console and only one in the wide rear.
This is how the ET7 is driven
One electric motor per axle with a total system power of 652 hp (480 kW) and a maximum torque of 850 Nm provides the drive to suit its condition. The 2.4-ton all-wheel drive vehicle accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and reaches a top speed of 200 km/h. Even at this speed, the ET7 sits calmly and reassuringly on the German highway. The steering is almost too light but sensitive. Chassis pads bump comfortably. Despite its great performance, the ET7 has no sports-related goals. Nomi emphasizes this when she gently but clearly reminds: “You’re driving too fast for the speed limit.”
There are currently two battery sizes for the ET7. The Nio with a capacity of 75 kilowatt-hours (kWh) should be plugged in after 445 kilometers and after 580 kilometers with a 100 kWh battery. There, the ET7 can charge quickly at 130 kilowatts, and the batteries are 80 percent more powerful again in 30 or 40 minutes. Alternatively, Nio is currently building a Europe-wide network of battery replacement stations. The empty battery can be replaced with a full battery in five minutes, and we can continue sitting in the car, just like at the car wash.
Switzerland has to wait
Due to the battery replacement option, Nio only offers the ET7 for rental. At least in the early markets of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden. By 2025 at the latest, Nio wants to be active in Switzerland as well. Details are still open. This gives Nio ample time to correct spelling and translation errors in the German infotainment system. But other than that, with the ET7, the Chinese offer a powerful electric sedan that doesn’t need to be hidden from the competition.