NIO Announces Details of its Expansion into German, Dutch, Danish and Swedish Markets at European Launch Event
·Users in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden will have choice of three models, with first deliveries of ET7 due this month
·New, flexible NIO Subscription service designed to encourage EV adoption
·20 game-changing Power Swap Stations are set to be built in Europe in 2022
October 7th, 2022, Berlin – Smart electric vehicle company NIO unveiled details of its products and services for Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden at its European launch event in Berlin. This expansion follows its entry into the Norwegian market last year. Three new models derived from its NIO NT2 platform, the ET7, EL7 and ET5, will be available together with innovative subscription models to encourage EV use. Through its pioneering products and services, NIO will build a community to deliver the best user experience.
NIO announced that the ET7, its high-performance flagship sedan, is available to order now in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden with deliveries due to start on October 16th. NIO also confirmed that pre-orders for its EL7, a mid-large smart electric SUV, and the ET5, its mid-size smart electric sedan, are open now, with deliveries set to start in January and March 2023, respectively.
The three NIO models for Europe are derived from NIO's latest NT2 platform, engineered to create an experience beyond expectations thanks to their design, performance, intelligence, safety and flexible battery solutions. NIO's ‘Design for Autonomous Driving' and ‘second living room' concepts have led to the use of innovative and environmentally friendly materials, underlining the exquisite, pure, and contemporary design NIO is renowned for. Performance is impressive too; 0-100 km/h in four seconds and a 100 km to zero stopping distance of 34 meters.
Thanks to the NT2's advanced chassis system, coupled with comprehensive tuning for each model, NIO's cars offer a dynamic yet comfortable ride. All are designed from conception for global markets and to meet five-star safety requirements. NIO's innovative CSU (Chargeable, Swappable, Upgradeable) architecture enables both charging and swapping of batteries with the ongoing opportunity to benefit from the latest battery technology or flexibility to upgrade the battery capacity.
All three models are equipped with NIO's latest Banyan intelligent system. This full-stack technology comprises the vehicle computing platform, operating system, vehicle intelligent hardware, intelligent algorithms and applications, and will continue to evolve via FOTA updates. With the help of intelligent hardware such as Aquila, NIO's super-sensing system comprising LiDAR, ADAM and NIO's supercomputer platform with a computing power of up to 1,016T, will ultimately be able to offer advanced safety assistance and automatic driving in scenarios such as high-speed carriageways, urban areas, parking, and charging environments. At the same time, the three models also come with the NIO PanoCinema panoramic digital cockpit as standard – powered by the world's first on-board artificial intelligence assistant, NOMI. Combined with the Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 Sound System, 256 ambient light colors, a 12.8" AMOLED central control screen and high-performance AR and VR functionality, the interior is a truly immersive space.
Thanks to the intelligent hardware configuration, NIO's range of ET7, EL7 and ET5 cars means users in different market segments will benefit from a personalized NIO experience.
New for Europe is NIO's innovative subscription model, which is now open for users in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. NIO Subscription is a ground-breaking service designed to offer maximum flexibility and personalization to encourage EV use. With terms starting from just one month to 60 months, users will be able to choose the vehicle that best suits their needs. For all subscription models, NIO provides a worry-free experience by offering comprehensive insurance, maintenance, winter tires, a courtesy car and battery swapping, as well as the flexibility to upgrade battery services. Users of NIO Subscription are part of the NIO community, able to share their life beyond the cars and celebrate moments with the brand, such as access to NIO Houses and events.
NIO is committed to a comprehensive battery charging system in the new markets. At present, NIO has access to 380,000 charging points in Europe accessible with NIO NFC cards, and a European version of NIO's charging map has also been introduced. In 2022, NIO plans to build 20 Power Swap Stations (PSS) in Europe. In 2023, this number is expected to reach 120. The PSS located in Zusmarshausen, between Munich and Stuttgart is in operation, and the PSS in Berlin is nearing completion. By 2025, NIO aims to build 1,000 PSS outside of China, most of which will be in Europe.
NIO will continue offering a direct-to-consumer model for serving European users. NIO House in Berlin is about to open, and NIO announced it is building further NIO Houses in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Gothenburg.
NIO has established a network of Authorized Service Centers in all major city areas of Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden. Via the NIO App, users can access car data and book service appointments through a "One Click for Service" function.
Alongside NIO's expansion in Europe, it will develop the community models that have been intrinsic to its success in China. This includes community user groups such as the User Advisory Board (UAB) that in Norway already has 270 members. UABs help NIO to improve the user experience through sharing ideas on service quality, charging, in-store experience, and other aspects of using a NIO car.
NIO confirmed its commitment to increased R&D activity in Europe. This July, NIO created the Berlin Innovation Center, with its focus on digital cockpit, autonomous driving and the R&D of new energies. In September, the first Power Swap Station manufactured in NIO Power Europe Plant located in Hungary rolled off the production line. This plant also serves the role as the manufacturing center, service and R&D facilities for NIO Power in Europe. The teams from the NIO Power Europe Plant and the Berlin Innovation Center will sit alongside growing groups of engineers at NIO's R&D and design facilities in Oxford and Munich.
"Serving users in Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden is an important step in realizing NIO's 2025 plan and offering our unique user experience in more countries around the world," says founder, chairman and CEO William Li. "Our compelling products, game-changing charging and battery swapping services, alongside truly innovative and flexible subscription models, will change the landscape of EVs. Our commitment to the region marks the start of NIO's next chapter in our global development."