Chinese automobile startup NIO on Monday officially launched its all-electronic dual-motor SUV called ES8.
The ES8, a spacious seven-seater SUV, was launched at the price of 448,000 yuan (Rs 43,45,801) - almost half the price at which other electric vehicles, including Tesla's Model X, are sold in China. The car also comes with a battery rental plan that offers a discount of 100,000 yuan.
According to a report in Express.co.uk, the cars are being manufactured for the Chinese market but there is no official word on whether ES8 will venture into global markets.
The car delivers 480 kilowatts of power and 840 Newton metres of torque.
Another interesting thing about the car is its electronic powertrain enables it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 4.4 seconds.
The ES8 is equipped with 70-kilowatt-hour liquid-cooled battery pack comprised VDA square cell batteries which provide 2,000-charge lifecycle.
The ES8 is also the first car to have an all aluminum body with 21 active safety features.
As per the reports the company will first finish 3,000,000 km road test before it starts delivering the vehicle to its users.
The car comes with a "comprehensive advanced driver assistance system" called NIO Pilot. At the core, it has Mobileye EyeQ4 chip that controls 23 sensors including cameras, radar sensors, and ultrasonic sensors.
It also has a standalone AI called NOMI that can "“listen, talk and help drivers along the way” and act as a companion to the driver.
The ES8 is powered by NIO power which allows it, user, to run 100 kilometres after charging for only ten minutes.
According to a report in Indian Express, to speed up the charging process for ES8, NIO plans to open up battery swapping stations where the car owner can replace their battery pack with a new charged one within 3 minutes.
The company is also offering rescue service where Power Mobile vehicles will charge ES8 on the go. The report says NIO plans to open up 1,100 swap stations and launch 1,200 power mobile vehicles.
ES8 is NIO's first attempt at entering mass market, but they have launched electric concept car called EVE which was a self-driving vehicle. Their flagship EP9 is an electric supercar that goes 0-100 km/h in 2.7 seconds and is priced at whopping $1.5 million.
(With WION Inputs)
