Verdens Gang, generally known under the abbreviation VG, is a Norwegian newspaper founded in 1945 and is the most read online newspaper in Norway, with more than 2 million daily readers. ES8 is currently the only model available in Norway however Nio is already getting ready to sell the new ET7 and ET5 Models in the Scandinavian country. Here’s what V.G. said:
“NIO is not just a new Chinese car brand in Norway, it’s also a new mindset for services around cars. The car can either be bought with a battery in the normal way, or you can rent it for a monthly fee. This involves a certain number of battery swaps per month at so-called Power Swap Stations (PSS). Six minutes on the ramp and the tank is full. This also makes the real prices a bit difficult to get a handle on. Because what pays off for the individual, buying with or without a battery?”
“If it’s space that you need, you have come to the right car” — that’s how V.G. starts to present the NIO ES8 Model.
“The car can either be bought with a battery in the usual way, or you can rent it for a monthly fee. This includes a certain number of battery changes per month on so-called Power Swap Stations (PSS). Six minutes on the ramp and the tank is full. Thus, the real prices also become a little difficult to get hold of. For what pays off for the individual, buy with or without battery?
The ES8 is a five meter long giant. In shape and appearance it is relatively elegant, with a distinctive “bust”. It may be placed visually as a cross between BYD Tang and the eye-catching Hongqi E-HS9 . For the first few meters over the cobblestone in Karls Johans gate, the car feels almost insurmountably large. However, the side visibility is good, thanks to small windows facing the A-pillar and mirror housings that are pulled back on the door.”
“When adjusting the door mirror or the driver’s seat, the menu for adjusting the headup display appears on the info screen. It is logical and suggests that “someone has thought”. The cab does not offer striking luxury, but nappa artificial leather and microfiber roofing make the surroundings many notches above the “popular”. Very good leather seats (also with cooling) in the test car, the seat cushion is almost the longest made for me. Massage is included.
The test car is a six-seater, Signature Edition with Baas (Battery-as-a-Service, ie battery in subscription). The test car has a long range battery of 100 kWt. There are also versions with a 75 kWh battery and 37.5 miles range. Common to all variants are four-wheel drive and “extreme” 544 hp from a two-engine bucket, of which the powder keg sits on the rear axle. The 0-100 axis is set to 4.9 seconds.”
“Despite its size, the car is easy to drive, with a purposeful demeanor even during slightly active driving. The steering is on the verge of being too light weighted. The air suspension (standard in all) contributes to a very comfortable feeling, the car’s movements ripple softly through the body. The suspension system can raise the car for easier loading and it lowers to a kind of boss position in sport mode. The road noise is impeccable. It is not the ventilation system. In minus eight degrees, and with only one person (without hot flashes) in the car, it occasionally misted all the way to the side window and parts of the windshield. We had to defrost several times.”
The assistant Nomi is from the first eye contact trustworthy and very naughty. From her position on the dashboard, she turns her head towards the speaker, shakes her head when there is a task she can not perform, smiles with her eyes or acknowledges by showing gloves when she has turned on the steering wheel. At times a little too pedantic, like when she gives a clear message that you do not have your eyes on the road. And does she show the coffee cup, which will advise you for a break, a little too quickly?”
“Nomi speaks Norwegian, perceives and performs a number of functions. While charging, she engages in some yo-yo or a spinner-spin bass. The driver’s screen is simple, but has graphics that show other elements on the road, for example in the blind spot. Good, but maybe not quite on par with Teslas.
Steering wheel heating is in place, as well as what must be a new class leader in rear view cameras: This provides an exceptionally good overview. There is no washing or protection of the rear lens of the rear view camera. The headlight does not have headlight washers either. The light is also not so-called matrix light with dynamic scattering.
NIO ES8 is the first Chinese car we have driven where the radio has been fairly quick to get on, and without loss (although Nomi reports that it may take time to download the radio channels). A somewhat annoying blemish is warning sounds. This is not exactly a quiet car. For example, when flashing in and out again when overtaking on the motorway (two different sounds). It may be off, so a real round on the info screen is enough.”
“The info screen has no more than decent functionality and structure (it is built in the same way as in Tesla). It is sharp, but could have had a good deal of larger font. Thumbs up for the overview of what the energy actually goes to. But if you do not want to ask Nomi to set the heat up and down further, you have to enter the screen to set the temperature.
Space and cargo If there is a need for space, you have come to the right car. The two seats in the second row are sliding, with armrests where the cup holder protrudes – and with heating. No through tunnel and good legroom – I do not think I have come across better since the Tesla Model X. The third row of seats is a construction with finesse. The seats are flush with the floor and are easy to set up and down, fairly easy to access and not cluttered with space. A small room under the floor at the back. Four isofix fasteners in total.
- Luggage compartment: 871 Liters
- Trailer weight: 1500 kg (roof load 75 kg)
- Payload: 624 kg (passengers, luggage and roof load)
- Length / width / height: 5.02 / 1.96 / 1.75 m
- Weight: 2400 kg
- Range and charge The battery has a capacity of 100 kWt (net), which should provide a range of up to 460 Kms. Consumption figures are not stated.”
VG measurements
Range: 370 Kms (minus 6-7 degrees, humid road, average speed 85-90 km / h, 94 km). 80 percent of stated. Consumption 2.7 kWt / mil.
Fast charging: Must charge up to 110 kW. Charging time not specified
We charged at Ionity on Dal from 11%. Charging was interrupted (cause unknown).
We used 25 minutes for 49% filling, the average power was 89 kW. From 49 to 80% took 23 minutes. The average power was then 79 kW and the peak was 90 kw. Home charging takes place with up to 7.2 kW power. Heat pump is standard in all.
Prices used value and buying advice
- NIO ES8 costs from DKK 519,000 to DKK 769,000.
- The cheapest purchase price is with a battery as a subscription (NOK 1399 per month for 75 kWt and NOK 1999 for 100 kWt).
- The supplement for buying the car with the battery (then you do not get access to battery replacement), is NOK 90,000 for 75 kWt and NOK 160,000 for 100 kWt.
- Either six or seven-seater configuration. Six seats cost 10,000 kroner more than seven seats.
- The test car costs NOK 609,000 before delivery costs. Signature Edition is well-equipped and includes active air suspension, NOMI 2.0, the NIO Pilot driving system, and wireless updating. When ordering before 1 March, this includes: wall charger including standard installation, up to six battery changes per month / 600 kWt, maintenance for four years and roadside assistance for six years.”
“Dynamic cruise control is standard on all variants, this also applies to adaptive cruise control and panoramic glass roofs. The auto emergency brake can not detect pedestrians when reversing, otherwise at height.
Metallic paint costs NOK 12,000, towbar NOK 8,499, 20-inch sports rims NOK 29,990, 21-inch NOK 34,990, NIO Pilot upgraded driving package NOK 28,000. The warranty is six years or 150,000 kilometers. The battery has a warranty of eight years, with a guaranteed residual value of 70 percent. NIO recommends buying with or without battery replacement:
We recommend Baas. It provides a lot of charge included and swaps (swaps), and it allows you to upgrade the battery after purchase. Many of the cars will be on the road in fifteen years, with battery replacement, the car will always have the same (new) battery technology as new cars we sell. Our standard ensures backward compatibility.
The car management company Autolease does not have enough information to provide a residual value assessment of the car. The car is manufactured in Shanghai, China. It is not rust-treated on arrival in Norway, but has 94 percent aluminum in the body.”
VG Conclusion
“Lots of space and top-class seating solutions. Comfortable and powerful on the road. Nomi was not relevant to turn off. The little companion performs a series of actions. It comes in handy when the screen has such small font. Fast charging late. 20 percent reduction in range in several minus and with high speed is passed. The brand has not built up trust in the Norwegian market yet, with the car appearing trustworthy. Not bad price.”
The EV maker delivered 9,652 vehicles in January 2022, representing an increase of 33.6% year-over-year. The deliveries consisted of 1,531 ES8s, the Company’s six- or seven-seater flagship premium smart electric SUV, 5,247 ES6s, the Company’s five-seater high-performance premium smart electric SUV, and 2,874 EC6s, the Company’s five-seater premium smart electric coupe SUV. As of January 31, 2022, cumulative deliveries of the ES8, ES6 and EC6 reached 176,722 vehicles.
In addition, the Company has been accelerating the deployment of its power, sales and service network. As of January 31, 2022, NIO has built 836 Power Swap stations, 3,766 Power Chargers and 3,656 destination chargers, and opened 42 NIO Houses, 341 NIO Spaces, 55 NIO Service Centers and 180 authorized service centers across China. The infrastructure expansion serves as the solid foundation to continuously bring experiences beyond expectations to users.
Earlier this week, EV.com unveiled that the Chinese EV maker Nio and the global Renewable Energy recruitment specialists Piper Maddox announced a new partnership towards the European Expansion confirmed by the automaker for this year. The recruitment company has already available 22 job vacancies in the markets aimed by Nio: Germany, Denmark, Sweden and The Netherlands.
Piper Maddox has already announced the opening for 22 new job vancancies distributed by the five new European countries. The vacancies are focused on the construction and development of the Battery Swap Stations. Among the job posts, Nio is looking up to: a Power Network Development Manager, a Power Business Operations Specialist, a Power Network Development Lead, a Power Construction Engineer and a Power Network Rollout Manager.
A couple days ago, Nio posted a job vacancy for an EU SSC Finance team leader in Budapest, Hungary. It’s the first time the company hires or mention the country pointing to an upcoming entering on this market.
Recently, Nio announced yesterday that the production and manufacturing of ET5 Model is “in full swing” in the Hefei Factory. The first units of the model unveiled during the last NIO Day, held last December, are expected to be delivered in September 2022. Recently, CEO William Li revealed that the Nio ET5 would also arrive in Norway and some other overseas markets from spring 2023.