Following its Chinese debut last month, the second-generation Nio ES6 has launched in several European markets, where it will be called EL6 following a trademark legal battle with Audi.
The Nio EL6 will be available in Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Customers will be able to either buy it or pay a monthly fee as part of a subscription program.
Described as a smart electric all-round SUV, the EL6 doesn’t look that different from its predecessor, with Nio adopting an evolutionary approach. The mid-size electric SUV also retains roughly the same footprint, being only marginally wider and lower than its predecessor.
The Nio EL6 is 191.1 inches (4,854 millimeters) long, 78.5 in (1,995 mm) wide, and 67 in (1,703 mm) high, with a wheelbase of 114.7 in (2,915 mm). Key styling changes include new round headlights stacked on top of each other on each side, slim taillights that are now united by a light bar, redesigned bumpers, and the LiDAR and front-view cameras on the vehicle’s roof.
Inside, the double-layer dashboard layout carries over but the dash is slimmer and features hidden air vents and new central infotainment and driver displays. The infotainment system runs Nio’s latest Banyan OS.
The steering wheel is also new, as are the front seats – with 20-way adjustment for the driver and 22-way adjustment for the front passenger – and the large openable sunroof, which Nio claims it’s the largest in the segment with an area of almost one square meter (10.7 square feet).
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The upgraded passenger Lounge Seat features a comfortable zero-gravity position, reclining mode, adjusting leg rest, as well as ventilation, eight-point massage system, and three-zone heating for the seat cushion, back and leg rests. It can also rotate 160 degrees.
The cabin also features new materials including sustainable rattan trim on the dash and tailor-made acoustic fabric on the speakers.
When it comes to practicality, the Nio EL6 is said to offer flexible storage space, with the three-layer trunk offering a maximum volume of 23.6 cubic feet (668 liters). The rear seats can fold down in a 40/20/40 layout, increasing storage space up to 50.5 cu ft (1,430 liters).
While the EL6 looks familiar, it’s all-new under the skin. As with the Chinese-spec Nio ES6, the EL6 is based on Nio’s latest NT 2.0 platform and comes as standard with a dual-motor AWD electric powertrain.
It combines a 201-horsepower (150-kilowatt) front induction motor with a 210-kW (282-hp) rear permanent magnet motor for a total power output of 360 kW (483 hp) and a combined torque of 516 pound-feet (700 Newton-meters).
That’s enough for the Nio EL6 to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 kph) in just 4.5 seconds. Power comes from a standard 75-kilowatt-hour battery pack or an optional 100-kWh battery, with the latter enabling a WLTP range of up to 328 miles (529 kilometers).
As for tech power, the EL6 comes with Nio Aquila Super Sensing, consisting of 33 high-performance sensing units, and Nio Adam Super Computing with four Nvidia Drive Orin X chips, achieving a computing power of 1,016 TOPS.
Prices in Germany for the Nio EL6 start at $71,700 (65,500 euros) for the 75-kWh model and $81,500 (74,500 euros) for the 100-kWh variant.
