EC7 SUV NIO Has The Best Aerodynamics With Fully Autonomous Highway Battery Swaps

In addition to the long-awaited 500 kW charging station that can fully charge an electric car in 12 minutes, NIO used its annual event to show off a refreshed ES8 SUV and an EC7 electric coupe with just 0.23 drag coefficient. Also, NIO showed how its EVs can change batteries automatically on the highway. The annual NIO Day party was held on Christmas Eve and showed off one new model, the EC7 SUV with the lowest drag coefficient, and a new version of the full-size ES8 SUV built on NIO's new NT 2.0 platform. NIO brags that the EC7, which has an electric rear wing, has just 0.23 Cd of wind resistance. This, they say, makes it the mass-produced SUV with the best aerodynamics. Not only that, but the EC7 has a smart-dimming panoramic roof, which is a first for an NIO electric vehicle. [caption id="attachment_75467" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] (image: NIO)[/caption] It's also NIO's fastest SUV, going from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds thanks to its dual-motor 480kW setup. The base model with a 75 kWh battery costs about the same as US$69,830, and the first deliveries will start in May 2023. The big ES8 SUV update starts with a 75 kWh battery pack that costs $75,539 and will ship to customers in June 2023. It is quite a bit bigger, measuring 5,099 mm x 1,989 mm x 1,750 mm, and its wheelbase is 3,070 mm. This one can go from 0 to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds thanks to the 480 kW drivetrain with two motors. The luxurious ES8 has a five-zone climate control system, NIO's PanoCinema panoramic digital cockpit, and 7.1 surround sound as standard equipment. [caption id="attachment_75469" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] (image: NIO)[/caption] Both 2023 SUVs have all the bells and whistles of the latest NIO NT 2.0 platform, including LiDAR and Nvidia Orin hardware, and a self-driving software suite subscription will be available for them at a later date. [caption id="attachment_75468" align="aligncenter" width="1200"] (image: NIO)[/caption] Along with new EV models, NIO had a lot to show about fast charging them last night. It showed off a 500 kW charging system, one of the fastest in China, that can charge its cars' batteries from 10% to 80% in just 12 minutes. NIO is also working on improving its battery swap stations in addition to making its charging stations faster. The new generation can now carry 21 packs and can do up to 408 battery swaps per day. At NIO Day 2022, the automaker showed off a fully autonomous battery swap along a highway, which was probably the most interesting thing. Its electric vehicle (EV) can plan the route and drive itself to the swap station, where the battery pack can be changed without the driver's help. The EV can then pull away to join highway traffic again. NIO is building battery swap stations in Europe and is counting on its export strategy to help it break even in 2024 as promised.