Visitors to this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed will see the UK debut of smart EV pioneer NIO’s ET5. The compact fastback will be displayed in Goodwood’s Electric Avenue from the 13-16 July. Already available in China and European markets including Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, ET5 blends performance with the luxury of space and the joy of driving a smart EV.
The exterior design of the ET5 pays homage to NIO’s EP9 hypercar that smashed the hillclimb record at the Sussex venue in 2018. ET5’s muscular haunches, 1,685 mm wide track and rear ducktail are complemented by precision details such as the chiselled shark nose, flush doorhandles and 33 integrated sensors for driver assistance and autonomous driving.
Inheriting NIO’s high-performance DNA from the Goodwood record-breaking EP9, the 360 kW ET5 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds thanks to a 150 kW induction asynchronous motor in the front and 210 kW permanent magnet motor at the rear. These deliver peak torque of 700 Nm. Like all NIO’s smart EVs, ET5 offers the ability to charge or swap its battery, fitting a fresh, fully charged battery at one of its Power Swap Stations in less than five minutes. Today, there are 1,561 Power Swap Stations globally, including 18 in Europe. There have been over 24 million battery swaps with one happening every 1.6 seconds, on average.
Inside ET5 is no less impressive. Electric Avenue visitors will have the opportunity to see NIO’s cutting-edge concept of the second living room in ET5. Inspired by trends in furniture, fashion, and footwear, NIO’s designers have created a sophisticated space with a warm touch. The earth inspired interior themes benefit from the use of recycled and more sustainable materials. The Clean+ sustainable fabric, made from recycled bottles, forms a relaxing cocooning ambiance and improves the acoustic performance of the cabin. Technology enthusiasts will be drawn to the 256-colour ambient light feature, Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 surround sound system, PanoCinema, a panoramic and immersive digital cockpit, featuring AR and VR technologies and NIO’s in-car AI virtual assistant, NOMI.
Although no official date has been released for the ET5 to go on sale in the UK, NIO is already making plans to bring its user-focussed cars and services, such as battery swapping and NIO Houses, to the country.
“We are delighted for ET5 to make its UK debut, here at Goodwood, a location that holds a special place in the story of our growing brand,” says Matt Galvin, NIO UK’s managing director. “Electric Avenue is all about making EVs accessible to all and whilst it is not on sale here just yet, we wanted to highlight how NIO’s battery swapping and other user-focussed services make switching to EVs an attractive option. It’s the perfect place to show just how different EV use can be with NIO.”
Guests can register with NIO specialists on hand in Electric Avenue to be kept up-to-date with further announcements from the smart EV brand.
