Chinese EV maker Nio officially launched refreshed versions of its ET5 sedan and ET5 Touring models on Sunday, featuring more than 500 upgraded parts and a 45% refresh rate, while keeping prices unchanged from previous versions.
The unveiling event took place in Hefei, where Nio operates both of its electric vehicle manufacturing plants.
The starting price for the new ET5 and ET5T is 298,000 yuan ($41,360) for a full-vehicle purchase.
Under the company’s Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) program, which allows customers to lease the battery and access Nio’s national network of battery swap stations, the starting price is reduced to 228,000 yuan ($31,650).
Nio currently operates over 3,300 battery swap stations across China, where drivers can replace a depleted battery with a 90% charged one through an automated process that takes around three minutes.
The first-generation ET5 began deliveries in September 2022, followed by the ET5 Touring variant in mid-2023. As seen with recent facelifts of the ES6 and EC6 models, the pricing of the updated ET5 and ET5T remains the same as their predecessors.
Interior upgrades include a redesigned wraparound cockpit and an upgraded 15.6-inch AMOLED horizontal center display with 3K resolution. The models also come standard with an improved 18.8-inch head-up display
Pre-orders for both vehicles opened on May 10, and nationwide deliveries are scheduled to begin next week, Nio said in a statement on Sunday.
Customers placing immediate reservations will receive limited-time launch benefits valued at 61,300 yuan ($8,500), including five years of free battery swaps, five years of free access to Nio’s NOP+ assisted driving service, a free AC bidirectional charging kit or a 5,000 yuan optional upgrade fund, a complimentary “Enjoy Pack” worth 9,500 yuan, and a 6,000 yuan subsidy for battery swap-enabled versions.
First owners will also receive a six-year or 150,000-kilometre vehicle warranty, a ten-year unlimited mileage warranty for the battery system, six years of free in-car connectivity with an 8GB monthly data allowance, and lifetime roadside assistance.
Nio previously launched updated versions of its ES6 and EC6 SUVs in mid-May, with deliveries set to begin on May 20. The company has not provided a timeline for the introduction of the updated ET5 and ET5T in European or Middle Eastern markets.
The entry-level ES6 SUV with a 75 kWh battery is priced from 338,000 yuan ($46,900), while the 100 kWh version starts at 396,000 yuan ($55,000), maintaining the pricing of the outgoing models.
The updated ES6 EC6, ET5, and ET5T come with the Shenji smart driving chip, developed in-house (contrary to the previous use of Nvidia chips), which runs on Nio’s proprietary SkyOS operating system.
The brand’s in-car AI assistant Nomi got an update to feature better interaction with the passengers.
The company led by William Li aims to double vehicle deliveries this year to 440,000 units, including sales from its sub-brands Onvo and Firefly.
As of April 30, the group had delivered 65,994 units year to date, completing about 15% of its target.
