The Chinese electric-car maker NIO has launched sales of its first vehicle three years after the company was founded, undercutting the price of a rival model from Tesla.
Chinese customers can buy the ES8 4x4, with a range of 500 kilometres on a single charge, for 448,000 yuan (Dh248,883), the company said late Saturday in Beijing. That compares with 836,000 yuan for Tesla’s Model X, and 596,300 yuan for BMW’s petrol-powered X5.
“Electrification of automobiles provides us an opportunity to change lanes to lead,” said William Li, a founder of NIO. “Our goal is to make charging more handy than refuelling."
The full-size, all-wheel-drive ES8 has electric motors at the front and and the rear. To offset the weight of the batteries and motors, NIO opted for a lightweight aluminium body and chassis. The company also says that the ES8 has their new corporate design language that will appear on later models
The company is perhaps best known for its crazy quest to break track records with its 1,341bhp electric EP9 supercar. Last year the NIO claimed the beast had rocketed around Germany's famous Nurburgring track in a new electric car lap record of 7:05:120, blitzing the previous record of 7:22.329.
But regarding less hair-raisng electric cars, what can consumers expect to pay for other, non-Chinese vehicles that fall into a similar class as the ES8 4x4, either through the powerplant, or as regards capabilites?
Here are some alternatives:
Audi Q7 4x4
Model type: four-wheel drive
Power: Combustion engine
Starting price: Dh275,000
0-100kph: 6.3 seconds
The second-generation Q7 is the biggest member of Audi's crossover lineup. It offers seating for seven passengers, a high-tech cabin, and Audi's quattro all-wheel drive system.
BMW i3 hybrid
Model type: large smart car
Power: all electric or hybrid electric plug-in
Starting price: Dh158,000
Range: 114 miles without ranger extension; around 200 miles with
0-100kph: 7 seconds
Perhaps BMW's most important car in recent history, the i3 is a compact city car powered by an all-electric drivetrain. It is the product of several decades of research in the field of electric mobility and the first member of BMW's new i sub-brand.
Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
Model type: four-door saloon
Power: hybrid electric plug-in
Starting price: Dh176,000
Range: Electric only - 30 miles (claimed)
0-100kph: 6.5 seconds
Audi revised its A3 Sportback e-tron for the 2017 model year, introducing new options and raising its base price. Buyers can now opt for Audi's virtual cockpit technology. It still carries a 1.4-litre petrol engine and electric motor in the front, driving through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, while under the rear seats lives an 8.8kWh lithium ion battery.
Kia Soul EV
Model type: four-door saloon
Power: electric
Starting price: Dh125,000
Range: 100 miles
0-100kph: 11.2 seconds
As an electric vehicle, the Kia Soul EV could use some love since the EV market has moved on since it was introduced to the market. The Soul EV likely needs a range increase and price cut to remain competitive in today's EV market.
Hyundai Tucson FCEV
Model type: four-door saloon
Power: hydrogen fuel cell
Starting price: Dh282,000
Range: 365 miles
0-100kph: 12 seconds
With water vapour being the only exhaust, these vehicles are quite environmentally friendly. The Hyunai FCEV has a range and comparable power to a petrol engine. It only takes a few minutes to fill it with hydrogen. Sales, however, have been dismal.
Land Rover Discovery
Model type: four-wheel drive
Power: diesel/petrol combustion engine
Starting price: Dh225,000
Range: 475 miles
0-100kph: 7.1 seconds
The Discovery has a starting price that undercuts its key rivals, so it makes sense if you’re looking for a big, seriously capable off-roader without much luxury kit. The trouble is, the vast majority of big 4x4 buyers do want lots of creature comforts, and even stepping up one trim level (to SE) pushes up the price considerably, making the Discovery more expensive to buy than an equivalent Q7 or XC90.
Volvo XC90
Model type: four-wheel drive
Power: diesel/petrol combustion engine/hybrid
Starting price: Dh245,000
Range: 340 miles (diesel)
0-100kph: 6.4 seconds
The 2017 model of Volvo’s legendarily safe, spacious and useful seven-seat 4x4, was given a nut-and-bolt re-boot. One major principle remains: the engine is transversely mounted, and so a huge proportion of its length can be given over to the interior. There is a hybrid version, the T8, but that only provides around 20 miles of range. The all-new platform, engines and dash interface are Volvo’s own work, so if you like them don’t go thinking you can find them cheaper on another brand – this company acts independently these days, albeit under hands-off ownership of the large Chinese conglomerate, Geely.