Nio Begins Delivery of EC7 Flagship SUV to Europe

MAY 02, 2023@15:03 WIB | 90 comments

The delivery of NIO’s coupe-style SUV, the EC7, has officially begun. The EC7 is currently only sold in China, but is expected to arrive in Europe in just a few months. The EC7 SUV is one of the most aerodynamic vehicles on sale, with a drag coefficient of just 0.23 Cd.

The EC7 is available with a choice of 75 kWh, 100 kWh, or 150 kWh battery packs. The CLTC ranges for each are 304 miles, 395 miles, and 584 miles. Note the CLTC numbers are usually 30-40% higher than the EPA ranges.

The EC7 sells for $70,000 in China. A rival to the Polestar 3, the EC7 comes standard with a sunroof, Smart Matrix LED headlights with LiDAR, and a 16-inch central infotainment screen. The top-trim AWD EC7 dual-motor makes 643 hp and can accelerate from 0 -60 mph in just 3.8 seconds.

In addition to the EC7, NIO also sells the luxury sedan ET7 as well as the Model 3 rival ET5. Other models include the EC6 crossover and the ES8 full-size SUV.

NIO is growing rapidly in Europe. The Chinese automaker started sales in Norway in 2021, and has since expanded to Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. Later this year NIO will be launched in the UK. Meanwhile, the automaker is reportedly looking to enter the United States by 2025.

It will be interesting to see if NIO succeeds in the US market, and Chinese brands may struggle in the US unless they are subsidized. For example, Geely achieved major US sales through Volvo/Polestar. Of course, NIO’s reputation for quality and innovation should help achieve higher sales. [wic/timBX].