Nio starts ET-7 production

William Li, founder and CEO of Nio, wants to sell the ET7 in Germany "by the end of 2022." The 5.1-meter-long hatchback limousine offers up to 480 kW of power and, according to the NEDC, is supposed to offer up to 1,000 kilometers of range when the largest battery with 150 kWh is installed, of which a good 500 kilometers should remain in real life.

There are no concrete details yet about the planned distribution in Germany and the planned locations for "Nio Houses" – as well as the possible network of their own charging and battery swapping stations as in Norway and China.

In terms of connectivity and materiality, the ET7 is also supposed to bring something new: for the first time, an innovative renewable rattan called "Karuun" will be used inside. Kris Tomasson, Vice President of Design, explained:

"Interesting to look at and touch, and beautiful in form, this sustainable, plastic-free material is ideally suited to create a high-quality spatial experience."

The CEO for Europe will be Alex Schwarz, who previously worked for companies like Airbnb, PayPal, and eBay. Clear announcement: Digital first. Grüner Li explained:

"In the future, we need to focus heavily on software, mobile internet, and cloud technologies. Alex's experience will therefore be very important for us."

In the meantime, Nio has also presented the ET5 below the ET7, which targets the upper middle class and, like the SUVs of the ES series, could follow the ET7. Because Nio has firmly planned the European expansion.

What does that mean?

Nio has had a design department in Munich for years and repeatedly tests models like the ES8 or ES6 there. But they are still taking their time with the market entry in Germany. And unusually, they are not starting with the (by now no longer quite fresh) ES-SUVs but with the ET7 sedan. It is expected to happen in 2022.