The Chinese auto industry has churned out a high-end surprise: an electric sedan that makes even the big boys tremble in terms of design and technology.
Who would have said it ten years ago? Who would have ever thought that Chinese factories would start to produce not only small and cheap, unpretentious machines, or at most well-made but questionably imaginative copies of European models?
No, now from China come cars capable of competing with the most prestigious brands, and the latest creation from Nio is the clearest proof of this. The ET9 presents itself as an imposing sedan, more than five meters long, yet incredibly graceful in its shapes. It doesn’t resemble anyone else, only itself. The 23-inch wheels give it grandeur, while the profile of the body seems to slide in the air. It’s no surprise that the aerodynamic coefficient is record-breaking: 0.203, numbers that make the competition pale.
Supercar performance, first-class comfort
Under the bodywork lies a concentration of power and technology. Two electric motors work in tandem to unleash 707 horsepower. Acceleration is blistering: 4.3 seconds are enough to reach 100 km/h. The range does not disappoint: 650 kilometers with a full tank of electrons, destined to become a thousand in the enhanced version with a 150 kWh battery.
The charging system is very advanced. Five minutes plugged into the column and you can recover 255 kilometers. The engineers have thought of everything: the SkyRide active suspension reads the road in every detail. While the Aquila autonomous driving system scans up to 500 meters away. The electronic brain that governs everything boasts a processing power that a few years ago would have been suitable for a supercomputer. Today it is a flagship on four wheels.
The interior is a concentration of luxury and technology. Four enveloping seats like first-class armchairs, screens everywhere, even a refrigerator to keep drinks cool during long journeys. The steering communicates with the wheels through electronic impulses: no more mechanical connections. A farewell to the past with exciting precision.
The price list reflects the brand’s premium ambitions: 103,000 euros for the chinese market, where it will debut in March 2025. The most astute buyers will be able to opt for an innovative formula: buying the car without batteries, saving 15,000 euros, and renting them separately. Its arrival in Europe remains shrouded in mystery. Even if rumors are multiplying.
Traditional manufacturers will have to watch their backs: this Chinese sedan shows that the high-end car no longer speaks only German or American. ET9 combines the best of European elegance with the most advanced oriental technology. The result is surprising, almost disconcerting for those who still think that only second-tier products come from China. The awakening will be rude, for luxury brands that have not done their sums well.https://youtu.be/VmBYIwVOExA?si=ekz8991WpGTmco8x