[Aika Auto Bike Test Original]
"I just don't understand, why are you still buying fuel vehicles now?" During the interview, Li Bin, the head of Weilai, spoke amazingly, pushing the oil-electricity confrontation to the cusp of the storm. After a few months, people gradually forgot the ridicule, but their bodies became more and more upright, and they voted for new energy with real money and silver. Today, for every four new cars sold in the passenger car market, one has a green label. The future has come, it is coming, and the current revolution has reconstructed the arc of history. Is it time to say goodbye to fuel vehicles? If you've thought about it, you only need one reason: beat the product power of fuel vehicles.
Winning by strength? It's light to say, but it's not easy to do. In the past, electric vehicles have successfully attracted the attention of early adopters with intelligent cockpits and driver assistance. After years of tempering, new energy is no longer novel, and hunting consumption has become a thing of the past. Car owners need freshness and solid basic skills. With the arrival of NIO ET7, Li Bin and his friends gave the standard answer of the NIO 2.0 era.
The test model is the first version of the 2022 NIO ET7 100kWh, and its subsidy guide price is 513,400 yuan. After the optional Moon-themed appearance kit (4500 yuan) and the qihui orange caliper (3500 yuan), the price of the test car rose slightly to 521,400 yuan. With these budgets, you can easily buy the "56E", or you can choose pure electric medium and large cars such as the Krypton 001 and the Zhiji L7.
Why NIO？
In my opinion, the first impression is the winning secret of NIO ET7. From the "866" to the later ET7 and ET5, Weilai models have always been known for their high appearance. Overall, et7 blends the qualities of wealth and elegance to successfully depict the luxurious colors of a very oriental complex. In the words of a colleague in the editorial department, from a distance, you know that ET7 is a "high-end car". Unlike the same level of "BBA", Weilai ET7 has a touch of Silicon Valley temperament.
During the test, weilai ET7 was a scenery everywhere it went, and it continued to attract the attention of passers-by. You know, even the "BBA" flagship model does not have such achievements. Most people first affirmed the design and then asked about the price. There are even small couples who stop by the car and look at the lidar on the roof. As we talked, the conversation turned to autonomous driving. I have to sigh that times have changed.
Appearance | Squinting atmospheric field
No matter how imposing the appearance is, it can only be left to the envy of passers-by, and the interior is the exclusive territory of the owner. The carriage layout of WEILAI ET7 can be summarized in two words: simple and exquisite. The interior design is simplified, with a sense of indifference from the Nordic brand. The designer decorates the texture with warm colors and generous materials, so that the cabin has a temperature. At the same time, the smart cockpit has been upgraded, the 8155 chip has improved the smoothness of the car, and the NOMI Mate voice assistant has evolved to version 2.0.
Listen to the 5.1 and 7.1 music recommended by WEILAI, this set of 23 speakers provides a good sense of sound layering, and although the listening effect is not amazing, it is already high-quality at the same price. After switching to QQ music, there was a certain loss of sound details. Perhaps it was the early publicity that raised expectations, and the sound quality of the ET7 did not give me a very special impression.
Interior | Simplicity and texture are not incompatible
When it comes to medium to large car class, ride space is usually not an issue. The wheelbase of the NIO ET7 is 3060mm, which is comparable to the long-axis version of the "56E". The difference is. Electric vehicles have a very different vehicle layout, the longitudinal space utilization is higher, and the vertical space has no advantage (the battery pack raises the floor). Overall, the ET7's seating space is quite spacious, but the rear head space is relatively average.
In terms of storage, the characteristics of WEILAI ET7 can be summarized as "few dishes and large amount of dishes". Like other NIO models, the ET7 does not provide glove boxes, and a large piece of storage space is missing in the front row. As compensation, the ET7 has a storage compartment under the central aisle. The door panel compartments and armrest boxes are spacious enough to hold a lot of items. In addition, the door handle is designed with a bottom seal, which is suitable for placing mobile phones or wallets.
The NIO ET7 offers five rims and four tires for consumers to choose from, which is very rare among the new power brands. Among them, the 21-inch Pirelli P ZERO tires have SEA INSIDE self-healing technology, which uses pre-placed sealant to repair tire damage (within 5mm in diameter). The remaining three tires do not offer self-healing, but instead come in conjunction with tire repair fluid.
Space | Unfortunately, there is no ESC in the back row
Power performance is the reserved place for electric vehicles, and it is even more so for Weilai, which insists on creating dual-motor models. ET7 is equipped with the second generation of NIO electric drive system, and the dual motors still use the combination of front permanent magnet synchronization and rear AC asynchronous. In terms of batteries, the ET7 offers three kinds of battery packs of 75kWh, 100kWh and 150kWh, and the CLTC has a range starting point of 530km. Although 150kWh solid-state batteries are ahead of their time, they have not escaped the fate of "futures", and they will not be delivered to users until the end of 2022 at the earliest.
Due to the higher efficiency and lower energy consumption of permanent magnet synchronous motors, the ET7 tends to be front-wheel drive when driving in everyday life. To further improve efficiency, NIO engineers applied a SiC (Silicon Carbide) power module in the front-axle permanent magnet synchronous motor to improve power, economy and NVH performance. Regarding the value of SiC technology to electric vehicles, readers can refer to my colleague's article "Can Silicon Carbide Technology Really End the Range Anxiety of Electric Vehicles".
The "petrolhead" is always picky and complaining about the lack of soul in electric cars. But the reality is that the power response of electric vehicles is so fast that fuel vehicles have no power to fight back. In the morning rush hour traffic, the opportunity to overtake is fleeting, and fast is king. At this moment, waiting for the meaning of downshifting, intake, and combustion, I am afraid that only the dopamine caused by the echo is on the head, right?
At the same time, the brake foot feel has taken a qualitative leap, and the old guns are no longer scratched. The initial brake section is positive enough that the right foot movement can be quickly converted into the pressure of the main cylinder, resulting in a strong deceleration force. Deep braking, the braking force can also meet the driver's expectations, giving people the confidence to drive fast. The brake foot feeling and energy recovery cooperate tacitly, and the connection confusion has become a thing of the past. Switching from my own fuel car to the ET7, I didn't get sick with the two pedals. In the field of electric vehicles, this maturity is precious.
◆ Accelerate testing
In terms of power, NIO models are known for their "reverse false labels", and ET7 also inherits this fine tradition. Switching to Sport+ mode, the power response becomes incredibly agile and the torque load is lightning fast. At full acceleration, the peak acceleration exceeds 1.0g, which is equivalent to experiencing free fall on flat ground. In 10 consecutive sets of tests, the 0-100km/h acceleration time of NIO ET7 stabilized in the 3.4-3.6 second range, and the best result was 3.46 seconds, which was more than 0.3 seconds faster than the official data.
Weilai is known for its "reverse false label", and the measured acceleration is always much faster than the configuration table data. To test how humble NIO really is, we tested the acceleration performance of THE ET7 in various power modes, and the results are shown in the figure above. Overall, the measured acceleration score has an advantage of 10%-15%. With the 7.9-second mode, the ET7 can compete with the 56E, which is equipped with a 2.0T high-power engine.
In terms of mid-course acceleration, WEILAI ET7 also showed amazing momentum. Fuel vehicles downshift the kung fu, WEILAI ET7 has already accelerated from 40km/h to 80km/h. The 80-120km/h acceleration time is even more than 2 seconds, which is usually the strength of supercars. Listen to my advice, in order to avoid taking tickets, the daily commute 7.9 second mode is enough.
◆ Energy consumption/endurance test
Thanks to the application of SiC technology, NIO ET7 has achieved perceptible progress in efficiency. After testing, the comprehensive average energy consumption of the first version of the NIO ET7 100kWh is fixed at 17.1kWh/100km, which is only a slight gap with the Tesla Model 3 Performance high-performance full-drive version. Given the curb weight of more than 2.3 tons, the above achievements can be said to be gratifying. According to the 100kWh battery capacity, the car's comprehensive cruising range is 586km, which is equivalent to 87% of the official standard data (675km).
Under the low-speed conditions of the city, the ET7 achieved a performance of 15.2 kWh/100 km of energy consumption, which is about 12% lower than the ES6 with similar weight equipped with the same battery pack. Under the intercity high-speed conditions, the average energy consumption of ET7 is 21.5kWh/100km, which is about 9% lower than that of ES6. The data speaks for itself: SiC motors are valuable.
◆ Energy test
Looking at the entire automotive industry, Weilai is probably the most enthusiastic car company to change electricity. By the end of April, NIO had built 900 substations across the country, including 237 highway substations. At the same time, 745 supercharging stations have been built in Weilai, and 4132 supercharged piles have been built. In the face of a growing user base, NIO plans to continue to accelerate the construction of the energy replenishment system. From 2022 to 2025, NIO will build 600 additional substations in China every year. By the end of 2025, the total number of NIO's global substations will exceed 4,000.
In the energy supplement test, we use the State Grid 60kW fast charging pile to charge the vehicle, and calculate the average charging power based on the actual charging amount and charging time. In the SOC 30%-80% range, the average charging power of NIO ET7 is 44.1kW. After the SOC exceeds 90%, the charging speed decreases significantly, and the final average charging power of 80%-100% is only 27.9kW. Weilai, which pays attention to power exchange, seems to be less suitable for third-party charging piles.
Power | True and reverse false mark
The three-electric system has fully evolved, but the quality of the chassis is tangled. Don't get me wrong, the chassis of weilai ET7 is not perfunctory, but the tuning style setting is unexpected. In the balance of comfort and movement, the ET7 clearly fell to the latter, which made the two steel gun owners in the editorial department very addicted. When traditional car companies are deeply involved in cases and processes, new power brands bloom with amazing vitality. Without that group of chassis engineers who loved driving, there would be no ET7 today.
The suspension of the "first section" is slightly hard, like a steak with a baked skin, and it feels crunchy when bitten. The fine bumps are not completely filtered, but are passed to the steering wheel and seats in a neat manner, letting people know what the wheels are pressing. When encountering a large pit, the impact isolation is not bad, but the problem is that the wheel flutter is a bit messy, reducing the sense of quality. From the perspective of comfort, the current ET7 is not warm enough, and the personality is mixed with a little green and childish.
The ET7 is the car with the longest wheelbase under NIO, and the "keyboard value" seems to be low. The steering ratio is medium to large, with about 2.8 turns in total steering wheel turns (from left to right). At the speed of moving cars in parking lots or making U-turns at intersections, the ET7 is indeed a bit bulky, and the steering response is slightly lazy. At medium and high speeds, CDC adaptive shock absorbers have the magic of "big cars and small cars". As you race up the mountain road, you'll be amazed at how quickly the steering response (especially the non-central response) is, as if the body has changed from 5.1m to 4.6m.
Although the steering response is fast, it does not appear to be a "thief" at all. Near the central zone (±10 degrees), the ET7's steering response is only at a moderately fast level, far less active than the Model 3. As the steering input increases, the swing response gradually becomes faster, giving the impression of becoming more flexible as you turn. What's more, the steering response is fairly linear and doesn't increase dramatically at a certain point.
The steering feel is particularly satisfying. The steering wheel weighs moderately while providing clear feedback. For everyday walking, sport mode (or personalization mode - steering standard) is the most balanced option, and the response and hand strength always fit perfectly. As for extreme cornering, Sport + Mode (or Personalized Mode - Turn Calm) is the right answer. The solid sense of road feedback makes people confidently challenge one set of corners after another, completely forgetting the size and weight of the car.
Driving the ET7 on mountain roads, I even think of the eighth-generation Golf GTI that I tested last year. The difference is that the ET7's central hand is significantly tighter, unmatched by the original GTI. Is the control perfect? Compared with the control benchmark (Giulia) within 500,000 yuan, ET7 is still 20% short of fire. When "drilling through" in traffic, the ET7 is slightly less spiritual, and the central response retains a hint of laziness. You need to drive a little more aggressively to touch the most attractive side of ET7.
Chassis part, what else can et7 improve? The answer is comfort. Compared with the works of the big factory, et7 seems to know how to balance comfort and movement, and the filter performance is not coordinated enough. If ET7 can raise the comfort by half a grid on the basis of maintaining the current handling, it will be enough to make the "56E" have no place to live. The vehicle OTA provides the potential for upgrading the chassis domain, and the next step is to look at the efforts of the engineering team.
◆ Brake test
Carrying a heavy battery pack, electric vehicles have to face various problems caused by "obesity". In recent years, from time to time, electric vehicles have shown their feet in brake tests, and there are many cases of luxury cars that have surprised people. Fortunately, NIO ET7 handed over an excellent report card, the best 100-0km/h braking distance fixed at 35.60m. With the center of gravity lowered, pitch control has been substantially improved. When braking at full force, the body did not show a significant forward tilt.
In previous tests, the thermal attenuation performance of many electric vehicles has not been satisfactory. Thankfully, NIO ET7 broke the spell. In 10 consecutive sets of tests, the ET7's braking distance of 100-0km/h was stabilized in the 35-38m range, and the average score reached 36.60m. Combined with energy consumption and handling, this customized version of the T005 tire is indeed an all-rounder.
◆ Winding pile test
As mentioned earlier, NIO ET7 has excellent athletic performance, fun and stability. During the piling session, the ET7 responds briskly and linearly, giving people full confidence. The steering feel is delicate, the road sense is real, and it is clear how much grip margin there is in the front wheel. When you are at the limit, try to continue to increase the steering input, the car is still able to tighten the trajectory. Rough "push head"? inexistent.
The body length of the ET7 is more than 5.1m and the width is approaching 2.0m. In the face of narrow pile spacing, the huge body is a weakness after all, and it is impossible to reach the level of steel cannon through speed. Why not pair it with rear steering? Rear-wheel steering shortens the (virtual) wheelbase, increases rear agility and makes the car smaller. However, the extra rear movement deviates from the driver's expectations and has a negative impact on handling confidence. In the face of faster steering inputs, both the Zhiji L7 and the Mercedes-Benz EQS have similar problems. If you are keen to drive fast, the value of rear wheel steering also needs to be calmly evaluated.
◆ Noise test
The wind resistance coefficient (0.208) not only brings a show-off capital for THEO ET7, but also effectively suppresses wind noise. In addition, the ET7 is equipped with four doors of double-laminated glass, and the environmental sound insulation is satisfactory. Compared to the "866", the ET7 has better quietness in any speed domain. After testing, all four noise scores of ET7 entered the range of Aika's recommended values.
The fly in the ointment is that the back row is significantly noisier than the front row. During the drive, the resonance noise of "buzzing" continued from the direction of the luggage compartment, which destroyed the mood of the rear passengers. In the face of continuous small bumps, the suspension will make a "grunting" working noise. This "grunting" sound is similar to slapping a leather ball with a hand, rooted in a rubber limit block. According to our understanding, the improvement of related parts has been put on the agenda, and car owners and potential owners may wish to wait for good news.
Editor's Comments:
In the few days of testing the NIO ET7, I felt as if I was back in the summer of 2021. That early morning, the eighth generation golf GTI (test drive article review) made me dream back to my youth, and I had a heart-pounding feeling. However, the steel cannons are imbued with hormonal colors and are destined to be toys for young people. Seeing that I was about to enter the year of establishment, I needed a more comprehensive and mature scooter. It has to be driven up and let me do whatever I want when I am driving alone, and I have to sit up and feel comfortable, so that the family in the back row can be at ease.
Unfortunately, within my means, fuel vehicles are either too greasy or unsteady. I tried to strike a balance between the two needs, bought what my friends and family saw as a "bucket truck," only to get an embarrassing result—neither comfortable nor exciting enough. Who will fill the gaps? Bosses can certainly vote with their money bags. And I had to touch my wallet and set my sights on the electric car.
Back to the product itself, WEI's ET7 is interesting enough to give people a reason to "chop their hands". For the general public, 7.1.4 audio and NOMI can play for a year, and lidar creates after-dinner talk. For enthusiastic car fans, WEILAI ET7 is very addictive. It's dexterous and deep, drawing a line with the flattering Model 3 and the G-chassis BMW that wants to turn it back. Unfortunately, on The Chinese road full of speed bumps and manhole covers, the comfort of the ET7 can only be considered so-so. Weilai is still a growing Weilai, but it already has the strength to divert "BBA" users. After all, today's luxury brand owners are getting younger and more eager to express their individuality.
Chassis | The owner of the steel cannon was hooked