Nio ET9 has nearly 700 hp, 120 kWh battery, three lidars, rear tables, a mini fridge, and Nio’s self-developed chip. The company unveiled the executive flagship on Nio Day 2023, and it is already available for preorder for 800,000 yuan (112,800 USD). Deliveries will start in the first quarter of 2025.
As predicted, Nio wanted to showcase the technological promise of their R&D, so the ET9 is packed with new tech. It took over one hour and a half to introduce all the news during the event, moderated by CEO and founder William Li.
ET9 is a large 4-seater with a raised profile and fastback tail. It is over 5.3 meters long, the precise dimensions are (L/W/H) 5324/2016/1620mm, respectively, and the wheelbase is 3250mm. The wheels are 23″ and have Rolls-Royce-like center caps that don’t move, so the Nio logo is always visible. In the rear, it has a jet-inspired active spoiler.
The new electric sedan features 900 V charging. More precisely, 925 HV architecture – the first in the world, according to Nio. It also supports 600 kW charging and 765 peak charging current.
The battery capacity is 120 kWh and has extremely low internal resistance, according to the company. It has in-house developed large cylindrical 46105 cells with 292 Wh/kg energy density and 5C charging. The battery supports ultra-fast charging and can add a 255 km range in 5 minutes. “Or you can have a full battery in 3 minutes,” said Li while the crowd laughed, referencing battery swapping.
During the press conference, Nio didn’t mention WeLion’s 150 kWh semi-solid state battery (SSB), so we expect the ET9 will come with standard liquid electrolyte NMC batteries like other Nio EVs. The company also previously announced the 150 kWh SSB battery wouldn’t be for sale but is only available for rent under a battery as a service (BaaS) subscription.
Nio ET9 will have two electric motors. The front is an induction asynchronous motor with 180 kW power, and the rear is a permanent magnet synchronous with 340 kW. The combined output is 520 kW or 697 hp.
The car is equipped with Nio’s in-house developed 5nm ADAS-dedicated chip called NX9031, which cooperates with Qualcomm 8295 and forms a supercomputing platform that Nio calls ADAM 2.0. There is also a second-generation super sensing system, Aquila 2.0, and the cabin is run by the SkyOS operating system.
ET9 has three lidars. One is traditionally on the top of the front windshield, as in all Nio’s NT2 cars, and two on the car’s sides.
Inside the car, you feel the executive vibes and find many LCDs. The central control screen is 15.6″, and the two screens in the rear for passengers are 14.6″. There is also an 8″ screen on the center console for rear passengers. The car is equipped with digital rear mirrors.
Staying in the back of the car, you find folding tables for passengers and a mini fridge. Rear seats can be reclined up to 45 degrees.
The car is equipped with Sky Ride, Nio’s intelligent chassis system. It features a drive-by-wire chassis, rear-wheel steering with a maximum angle of 8.3 degrees, and full active integrated hydraulic suspension. Li added that the newest Porsche Panamera adopts non-integrated active suspensions, showing Nio’s Sky Ride is a more advanced generation.
The main competitors in China are the BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS. The first customer who preorders ET9 will receive 100 hours of free chauffeur service.
