New Nio EL8 electric SUV is a luxury six-seat alternative to the BMW iX
This is an EV over five-metres-long that can do 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and 317 miles on a single charge
Chinese electric car maker Nio has unveiled the latest addition to its already extensive line-up. The new Nio EL8 is a premium six-seat SUV that’s looking to take-on the BMW iX, Audi Q8 e-tron and Polestar 3, among other luxury EVs, and it’s coming to Europe.
The EL8 measures 5,099 mm long, 2,199mm wide and has an enormous wheelbase of 3,070mm – the latter is considerably longer than either of its German rivals we mentioned, and allows for two six-seater layouts.
The first features a centre aisle with an armrest, and 14-way adjustable rear seats, while models with the ‘Executive Console’ have a smart refrigerator and their 12-way ‘Ottoman’ reclining seats have a ‘hot stone massage’ function. Other kit on offer includes a 12.8-inch AMOLED central touchscreen, a 16.3-inch head-up display behind the steering wheel, a separate 6.6-inch display for the rear passengers and a 23-speaker surround system with Dolby Atmos.
For those with young children, Nio has fitted the EL8 with three ISOFIX mounting points, and a warning to alert drivers that their kids or pets have been left in the car. It all sounds very handy, especially if you’re in the habit of forgetting your offspring. As is the 810 litres of boot space, and the 2,000kg maximum towing capacity if you go camping.
The EL8 is offered with a 75Wh or 100kWh battery, with the larger unit delivering a range of up to 317 miles – a long way off the 382 miles the BMW iX can manage on a single charge. Meanwhile, the dual-motor, all-wheel drive powertrain in the Nio produces 646bhp and 850Nm of torque, which allows the over five-metre-long EV to do 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds.
Interestingly, much of the EL8’s development took place at Nio’s advanced engineering centre in Oxford, and its chassis features dual chamber air suspension with ‘Continuous Damping Control’ (CDC) that is constantly making adjustments to damping of the shock absorbers.
It also comes with laminated glass and noise reducing tyres, which are just one of the more than 50 other acoustic aides Nio has added to the car, not to mention the 24 safety and advanced driver assistance features that are also available.
Nio is already selling cars in select European countries like Germany and Sweden, and it’s rumoured the brand will launch in the UK sometime in 2025. However, Nio hasn’t shared an exact timeframe, nor has it confirmed which of the 10 models it makes will be coming here.
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