NIO: Chinese electric car to conquer the world

A young Chinese automobile brand, NIO, is already positioned among the major manufacturers of electric vehicles. Oriented towards the local market, the industrial start-up is conquering the global market, with establishments on the American and European continents. The brand wants to position itself as the leader in its field, by offering ultra innovative technologies.

A soaring young brand

Founded in 2014, NIO is a brand specialized in the design and development of electric cars. The brand is positioned in the global market as the direct competitor of the American brand Tesla. Offering 100% electric cars, the manufacturer is known for making electric sports cars. Since 2017, the brand has introduced new models of electric, luxurious and elegant SUVs.

At the head of this project is William Li, president of Bitauto and NextEV. The NextEV startup, formerly called the China Racing Formula E Team, used to participate in the Formula E electric single-seater championship with their first model, the NIO EP.

After the launch of the brand, several European, Chinese and American companies invested in the manufacturer. Among them, in particular, Tencent, Temasek, Baidu, Sequoia or even Lenovo and TPG. In October 2018, the British company Baillie Gifford acquired more than 11% of the shares.

The majority of the manufacturer’s targets remain the Chinese market. But the automaker is already launched on the international market by positioning itself on the American and European continent. The brand is exported to the United States and Europe, through subsidiaries in San Jose, Munich and London.

The main subsidiaries of the brand

NIO’s headquarters are located in Shanghai in the Shanghai Automobile Innovation Park. The global headquarters are primarily focused on the design, manufacture and industrialization of vehicles. All sales, marketing and customer relations operations are also centered in Shanghai.

In the heart of the Silicon Valley, the American subsidiary in San José is responsible for developing the brand’s technologies and software. The Munich branch focuses only on car design while the London branch ensures the performance of the program. London is also the headquarters of the Formula E Team which deals with the marketing, management and development of the Supercar.

Models of NIO electric cars

With a proper manufacturing, NIO sells models of electric cars for the general public.

The NIO EP9

The brand’s first model, the NIO EP9 is an electric supercar. This is the car that has made the brand talk about both locally and internationally. For a good reason: it is the fastest electric car in the world and has already broken more than five records on the Formula E tracks. Launched in 2016, the sports car combines comfort and speed with the look of a Formula E racing car.

The NIO EP9 has four electric motors located on each wheel. Each engine delivers 335 hp. and accelerates to 100 km / h in 2.7 seconds, to 300 km / h in 15.9 seconds. The vehicle has a top speed of 313 km / h and a range of 427 km when 45 minutes are enough to charge the battery.

Carbon fiber bodywork, digital dashboard with four screens, sensors, radars and camera, but also an autonomous driving system, equip this electric sports car. There will also be luxurious and comfortable seats with a leather-lined interior. In a limited edition, the NIO EP9 is available for 13.8 million euros.

The NIO ES8

Launched in December 2017, the NIO ES8 is considered the largest Chinese SUV. This general public model exists in two versions: 6 and 7 seats. It is a family car equipped with a 100kWh battery. With a maximum power of 653 hp., The vehicle incorporates two all-wheel-drive engines. Acceleration can reach 100km / h in just 4.9 seconds.

The new range of NIO ES8 can reach up to 580km of autonomy and has several high-tech components, namely a connected dashboard, at the cutting edge of technology and with a futuristic design. More dynamic and rational, this model is built to order and made to measure.

The NIO ES6

The NIO ES6 is a 5-seater electric SUV model. As a true mobile living space, this consumer vehicle incorporates two engines, one at the front and another at the rear. In total, the vehicle delivers a power of 544 hp. for an acceleration of 0-100km / h in 4.7 seconds. Integrating the best high-tech features with the dynamism of sports seats, this electric car provides maximum comfort.

Carbon fiber and aluminum body, leather interior, the SUV has been designed to offer maximum resistance. With a range that can cover 610km, the SUV is equipped with two batteries of 70Kwh and 84 kWh. In May 2020, this model allowed the manufacturer to win the title of “Best of Best” in the Automotive Brand competition.

The NIO EC6

It is also a model intended for the general public. The NIO EC6 is the coupe version of the ES6 SUV. In a lighter model, the SUV has two electric motors that deliver a cumulative power of 544 hp. The electric car is also characterized by its panoramic aerial view which maximizes the power of natural light.

With a fluid, athletic, but also sculptural silhouette, this SUV is ready to drive up to 614 km, the duration of its autonomy. In addition, this model incorporates an ES8 battery with a power of 10kWh. The new models in this range offer a more sophisticated design and extra comfortable finishes.

The EVE Concept-car

The NIO Eve is a concept car from the brand that offers unibody and autonomous electric vehicles. It was presented at South by SouthWest 2017, the Austin, Texas music festival.

Brand services

In addition to building electric cars, the brand’s main activity, NIO also designs technological and innovative solutions to improve daily living comfort. Thus, the brand offers NIO House (dedicated user center) and NIO Power (recharging and battery access service) for its users and customers.

Maximum development for the brand

With almost 4,000 cars delivered in August, its maximum production capacity, the NIO brand has just set a new record in sales history. The manufacturer does not intend to stop there since it plans to conquer the European market in 2021. From the first half of 2021, the brand intends to market its electric cars with its Battery as a Service or BaasS offer, launched in August 2020. This offer allows users to buy a battery-less car at a reduced price, but also to be able to rent a battery through the service. The rental of the rechargeable, upgradeable and replaceable battery will be made in the form of a subscription to the service. It should be noted that this practice is already very common in China, on electric cars. In addition, the brand also wants to expand its market to other American countries and the rest of the world from 2022.