Nio ET7 real life test sees it cover 649 miles with the new 150 kWh battery

In a feat of electric vehicle endurance, Nio ET7 sedan equipped with the latest 150 kWh semi-solid battery pack covered an impressive 649 miles on a single charge. The drive was conducted by none other than Nio’s CEO himself, who was keen to prove that the age of range anxiety is coming to an end.

The 150 kWh battery pack is the centerpiece of this accomplishment, and we now have proof it makes a significant difference in the real world. Li emphasized the safety performance and flexibility of the battery, highlighting that all Nio models can be upgraded to this new battery through the Nio battery swap system.

Better yet, the journey started at a battery swap station in Shanghai at a chilly 28°F, Li navigated various challenges including a recent cold wave across China. The journey covered 649 miles in 14 hours and 1 minute, demonstrating the ET7's endurance under less-than-ideal conditions.

Nio's Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), NOP+, played a significant role during the journey, not only making the journey easier , but also help reduce power consumption. The NOP+ system was engaged for 92% of the trip.

The ET7 maintained an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius inside the cabin, so it's not like comfort was compromised to achieve this impressive range.

The market-first semi-solid-state 150 kWh battery pack boasts the highest energy density of 360 Wh/kg and is currently the largest capacity mass-produced battery in the Chinese passenger car segment. Weighing 1,268 lb, it is only 20kg heavier than the 100 kWh pack it replaces.

While Nio celebrates this milestone, challenges loom, especially in the cost department. Co-founder and president Qin Lihong revealed earlier this year that the 150 kWh battery pack comes with a hefty price tag, almost equivalent to that of the entire ET5 sedan - that's nearly $46,000.

However, Nio's unique battery swap mode offers a potential solution. Owners can experience the benefits of the large battery pack needing to pay the full cost. If Nio follows a similar strategy to its 100 kWh packs, offering them as a rental option, it could present an economically viable option for users.

There is no doubt that this 14-hour-long stint is a very significant event - both for the company and the EV industry in general. While the costs may be prohibitive at this point, they are bound to reduce over time as the technology matures. And it will be finally be possible to match the range of a tank of gas without any “hyper-miling”. Nio isn’t the first to achieve this - Zeekr 001 beat it to the post - but the more manufacturers achieve this target, the faster and easier the EV transition will become.

While not all of us expect or need the cross-country range from our EVs, the notion of having a vehicle capable of such range puts the range anxiety to a well-deserved rest. For many people, it would mean long trips without the need for public chargers, and for some, it would mean charging their EV once every few months. That’s a huge achievement and we have Nio (and Zeekr) to thank for that.

You can watch the entire 14-hour video following the source link below - it’s quite interesting actually to see how seemingly easy it was to drive the ET7 for such a long time. Record-breaking is becoming a normal, every-day event.

Source