Chinese EV brand Nio has confirmed that it will initiate its European roll-out within the coming months, with its Nio ES8 SUV available to order in Norway from July.
Nio's European Vice President Hui Zhang recently told Autocar that the firm was on track for a European launch in 2021, but had yet to decide which country it would sell cars in first.
Earlier this year, Norway became the first country in the world where the majority of new car sales were pure-electric cars. Nio CEO William Li said the Scandinavian country is "at the forefront of e-mobility andsustainable growth", which coupled with its "strong sense of community and high purchasing power", make it a "perfect fit" for Nio.
The ES8, on sale in China since 2018, is a seven-seat Tesla Model X rival with a combined 641bhp from its four-wheel-drive, twin-motor powertrain, and a WLTP-certified range of 310 miles. Prices will be confirmed in the coming months, ahead of customer deliveries beginning in September.
The ES8 will be followed in Europe in 2022 by Nio's 644bhp ET7 saloon, which claims a range of more than 621 miles with its largest battery pack, and features a raft of advanced autonomy functions.
Most notably, Nio also intends to roll out its 'Power Swap' battery replacement service in the European market, which it claims "enables vehicle batteries to be automatically replaced within three minutes". Four stations are set to enter operation this year, with several more to follow in 2022, creating a battery swap network in five Norweigan cities.
Nio will also build a 'Supercharger' network in Norway, and will offer customers installation of a bespoke home charging device.
