Nio took to its global social media accounts to tease a new vehicle today. A short animated gif shows taillights illuminating and the rear haunches of a vehicle becoming highlighted briefly, indicating that the EV manufacturer has a new vehicle on its way.
Although much is still unknown, reports suggest that the new model will be the ET5 sedan. The car is expected to sit under the ET7, which Nio calls its “Smart Electric Flagship Sedan.”
That car was revealed earlier this year at Nio Day 2020, and which was supposed to be held last year but was delayed due to the pandemic. The first of three vehicles based on its Nio Technology Platform 2.0, the ET5 may be the second.
Read Also: NIO Unveils Its First Electric Sedan, The ET7
We will unveil a new model on December 18 at #NIODay 2021. #HelloWorld pic.twitter.com/Usl3lbi8tL
— NIO (@NIOGlobal) December 14, 2021
The ET7 has access to battery packs that range from 70 kWh to 150 kWh and its range goes from 328 miles (500 km) to 621 miles (1,000 km) on China’s test cycle. Rated at up to 644 hp (653 PS/480 kW) and 627 lb-ft (850Nm) of torque, it can get from 0 to 62 mph (100 mph) in just 3.9 seconds.
The ET7 is also a tech showcase, featuring a driver assistance system with cameras that have 8-megapixels of resolution, which compares favorably to Tesla’s 1.2-megapixel cameras. Additionally, it features LiDAR, radar, and ultrasonic sensors. In all, it has 33 sensing units.
Nio has been pushing battery swapping technology. That allows users to simply swap out their drained batteries at charging stations and get a fully charged one to replace it. The process, at its new Power Swap Station 2.0, is expected to take just three minutes to complete.
How much of this technology will trickle down to the ET5 is unknown at this juncture, but all will be revealed at Nio Day 2021, which is being held on Saturday, December 18.