Just released last week, the Nio ET5 Touring is arguably the best-looking electric wagon on the market. Actually, given that it has such few rivals right now—just the MG5 and Porsche Taycan Sport Turismo for now—we’d go even further and say that the new Nio is arguably the cool-looking wagon of them all.
Made by China’s Nio, the ET5 Touring (ie. station wagon) also just happens to offer two battery options—75 kWh and 100 kWh. This EV maker is also one of the few manufacturers to offer ‘Power Swap Stations’ thus permitting batteries to be easily swapped. That’s not all. Drivers will be able to roll up to one of Nio’s fast-charging battery stations with a depleted 75 kW battery after pre-booking to have a fully charged, longer-range 100 kW battery ready to be fitted in its place.
Battery Swapping Stations Already Online In Norway etc
And the switchover only takes 5 minutes, according to Nio. The company already has stations operating in Norway, The Netherlands, and Germany. In Norway, owners will get two free battery swaps per month and 200kW of free charging. According to Nio, there are plans to build 70 Power Swap stations in Europe by the end of 2023.
For the record, the ET5 Touring comes standard with a 75 kWh battery, which delivers range of up to 270 miles, while the more powerful 100 kWh battery boasts around 347 miles. Nio also says that it takes 30 and 40 minutes respectively to replenish from 10 to 80 percent on a fast charger.
The 100kWh unit delivers power to two electric motors, one on each axle. The front motor produces 201 hp and the rear develops 282 hp, combining for a total of 483 hp and 705Nm of torque. Such a setup allows the ET5 Touring to sprint from 0-62mph in 4 seconds flat.
The ET5 Touring will employ the same battery and technology as the already launched ET5 sedan and add the wagon body style’s practicality in order to compete with the upcoming lineup of high-end electric station wagons including the BMW i5 Touring, Audi A6 e-tron Avant, and the Volkswagen ID.7 Estate due out in 2024.
As for the Touring’s design, it’s the same as what we’ve seen on the sedan, with a smooth front end, extremely narrow LED headlights and side air intakes. The rear also shares the sedan’s full-width rear light bar and bumper.
Inside, the Touring’s interior design is clean and sparse, with a 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen accommodating most controls while a 10.2-inch display sits in front of the driver. The interface is simple and, as with lots of EV-only rivals, the ET5 has focused on software integration from the start.
One of the biggest modifications in the Touring is the addition of a panoramic glass roof, providing a far more open-air feel, and feeling of spaciousness. The ET5 Touring also has a longer wheelbase than the sedan, which gives it more legroom in the rear seats.
OUR THOUGHTS
The ET5 Touring certainly has a lot going for it. Boasting some of the best design in the industry, plus powerful battery options, good range, a futuristic interior, and battery-swapping functionality, the Nio wagon is turning heads. But we will have to wait till we’ve been able to check those battery-swapping stations to see just how quick, efficient, and reliable they really are before we can give the thumbs up. The NIO ET5 Touring is available for order now, and deliveries are expected to begin in Q4 2023. Prices start at RMB 298,000 (about $44,000) for the 75 kWh model and RMB 356,000 (about $53,000) for the 100 kWh model.