In a world known to be largely indomitable by SUVs, the Chinese automaker NIO has thought differently and introduces a breath of fresh air in the form of a station wagon that carries the ET5T moniker. It aims at enticing potential buyers with combination of a striking panache, oodles of avant-garde tech and power that can leave the world behind.
AESTHETICS
As it clads an iconic estate body style, the car serves dual purposes of gargantuan space on the inside and an elevated seating position when compared to a conventional sedan. The façade is idiosyncratic to any premium electric car. Fabian styling cues are found on the front such as crisp oval LED DRLs atop the boomerang styled head lamps.
The side profile is characterized by several details to write home about. These incorporate the contemporary looking flush door handles, frameless windows, a neat rear spoiler that completes its hunkered stance and a tapering roofline for an unmistakable fastback mien. A special mention has to be made of the electronically dimming panoramic glass roof that can allow immense amounts of sunlight when required or dim it to suit the mood of the occupants.
The rear visage’s major hallmark is the drooping silhouette and a stubby glass area to impart a sense of minimalism. Adding more drama to its stance, is a sporty diffuser kit.
INTERIOR & FEATURES
Like other NIO models, the ET5T also possesses a suite of 6 interior themes – Sand, Skyline Violet, Terracotta, Vetiver, Onyx Black and Cool Grey to ensure there is a theme for every ilk of customer. Stepping inside will immediately teleport to the future as design cues such as 256-colour ambient lighting with 10 colour themes and soothing rhythmic effects are no short of visual pleasure. Even the speaker department is outlined with pattern mimicking the ambient lighting hue to fascinate the occupants.
Two digital screens, one for the instrument cluster and the other for dashboard adorn the frontal section. Touted as the ‘Second Generation Digital Cockpit,’ the centre-stacked 12.8-inch AMOLED display is massive enough to cover all the modern-day creature comforts to fully indulge in an immersive experience and the dearth of buttons isn’t felt. Clinching a truly futuristic experience is the AI-powered ‘NOMI’ bot which continuously learns from the environment and serves as a voice assistant upon an input.
The interior fit and finish appears top-notch with the blend of materials, appliques and hues present. As high-tech as it is, the NIO ET5T promises cavernous leg room, acres of head room, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats with a three zone massage system for the body back, cargo capacity which can be expanded from 450-litres to 1300-litres upon folding the rear seats in a 40-20-40 fashion. For added convenience, there’s a portable torch light in the boot and a 12-volt charging socket. Moreover, additional 42-litres of storage can be found in a compartment beneath the boot floor.
The roof rails are functional with a payload capacity of 75 Kg. To make for the ultimate weekend getaway companion, the vehicle also offers an optional electric Trailer Mode where objects upto 1400 Kg can be towed.
The NIO ET5T has procured enough features to satiate the most fastidious ones and keep them entertained on their expeditions. These entail a 7.1.4 Surround Sound System of 23-speakers to disperse the melody of 1000 watts contributed by Dolby Atmos and Dirac Pro. A bevy of active and passive safety features aid the driving bit such as LiDAR which detects the distance of the object in the front to avoid collision.
PERFORMANCE
The car is catapulted by a 150 kW induction motor at the front and a 210 kW permanent magnet motor at the rear. These combine to provide driving range of a claimed 990 Km (CLTC cycle estimate) and shoot the car like a javelin throw to reach 100 Km/h from a standstill in a claimed 4.0 seconds. Depending on the tarmac and the driver’s adrenaline levels, there are 9 modes to elucidate- Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Custom and Snow, Sand, Wet and Trailer. There’s enough deceleration provided by the 4-piston calipers to bring the car to a halt in a predicament.
To sum up, the NIO ET5T makes for a compelling proposition among Chinese cars in the UAE in a very unique design that is both, scrumptious and purposeful. The vehicle starts at RMB 298,000 (approx. AED 153,676.13) in China. When launched in the UAE, it is expected to be slightly dearer. However, even then, it would come across as a formidable player in an already vast sea of electric alternatives in this space.
