NIO announces two new models and distances itself from the price war with Tesla

Tesla has opened a new front in the Chinese automotive market. The discount it has offered on all its models in the Chinese market, which has also reached other markets, has led some manufacturers in the Asian country to join this move and apply price reductions to their cars too. But the brand, which is already operating in Europe, has ruled out joining this price-cutting battle.

The company had already applied a discount policy on several of its models, but it is reluctant to offer further reductions to counter the move by Tesla. In principle, those discounts were applied to older models it had in stock, so it is not ruled out that some interesting proposal for buyers of NIO may be offered in the near future.

Two new models from NIO

The Chinese brand has also announced that two new models are set to arrive on the local market, and will later be sold in the markets where it already operates. In December the brand said two models would arrive, the NIO EC7 and the NIO ES8. But at an event held this week, the company’s CEO, Qin Lihong, warned that before these two models arrive there will be an earlier launch.

However, the executive has now stated that before launching these two models, work will be done to put two other models into production. These will begin to be manufactured in May, so they are almost ready to enter the factory. Although it is known that these two models will arrive, it is not known for certain which they will be.

There are some forecasts, according to some local media. One of those two models is expected to be the NIO ET5 Shooting Brake. This version of the model has been seen testing on circuits under its corresponding camouflage, so it is very advanced and could enter the factory shortly.

The SB version will be built on the same platform as the coupé version, so it will share the same mechanicals. This means it will fit the entry-level 75 kWh battery pack, capable of offering a range of 550 kilometres, and another with 150 kWh batteries, which is homologated for 1,000 kilometres. Both under the NEDC cycle, however.

The other model shaping up as NIO’s next launch is the next generation of the ES6. This was the brand’s first model to reach the European market in 2018, and it is now time to welcome its successor. It is supposed to bring improvements over the current model. The latter boasts a range of 550 kilometres on the NEDC cycle, so the next generation will offer more range and more power.

The good news is that both models, whether these or any other that NIO may offer at this time, could reach the European market, which has welcomed the brand and its proposals very warmly.

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