On July 21, NIO's track carnival rolled into the Zhuhai International Circuit. Last November, NIO's electric supercar, the EP9, was unveiled in London, England. In May of this year, the EP9 hosted its first national track carnival at the Shanghai F1 International Circuit, marking the world's first public experience of the vehicle.
In June and July, NIO took the track carnival to the Beijing Goldenport International Circuit and Zhuhai International Circuit. The primary goal of these events was to engage potential customers across different regions and lay the groundwork for the upcoming experience stores.
Creating the World's Fastest Electric Supercar in 18 Months
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EP9 represents the final work of Dr. Martin Leach, a pivotal figure in its development. Leach, a seasoned professional racer and former president of Ford Europe and global CEO of Maserati, brought invaluable expertise to NIO. His unique career path, transitioning seamlessly from a race car driver to a business leader, was highly valued by NIO executives like Zhu Jiang and Wei Qi.
NIO's founder, Li Bin, first met Leach in 2014. During the early stages of NIO's formation, Leach played a crucial role in shaping the company's core values and product strategies, laying the foundation for its future success.
As a respected automotive executive, Leach was known for his ability to lead small, high-performing teams efficiently. When Li Bin approached Leach with the ambitious plan to develop the fastest electric car in the world within 30 months, Leach expressed confidence, citing his previous experiences with Mazda.
Under Leach's leadership, the timeline was shortened to 18 months, with the stipulation that the car would not merely exist as a concept but would actually dominate some of the world's toughest tracks.
EP9: Born for the Track
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EP9 is not designed for profitability but rather as a showcase of engineering prowess. Each unit costs over $1.2 million USD. So far, six EP9s have been delivered to key investors, including NIO founder Li Bin, Che Hehe founder Li Xiang, JD.com CEO Richard Liu, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, Tencent CEO Pony Ma, and Hillhouse Capital founder Zhang Lei. These vehicles will soon offer test ride experiences to select users.
Equipped with four high-performance motors and four independent gearboxes, the EP9 boasts a single-wheel torque of 1480 Nm, accelerating from 0 to 200 km/h in 7.1 seconds, with a top speed of 313 km/h and a maximum output power of 1,360 horsepower. To put this in perspective, the average family car produces between 100 to 200 horsepower, while top-tier competitors like the Ferrari LaFerrari, McLaren P1, and Porsche 918 hover around 800 to 900 horsepower.
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According to Zhu Jiang, the EP9 shares similarities with Ferrari's FXX series, both being specialized track-focused supercars. Over the past few months, the EP9 has set numerous records on classic circuits worldwide, including the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Germany, achieving a lap time of 6 minutes and 45 seconds in New Zealand earlier this year.
It's worth noting that the Porsche 918 achieved a lap time of 6 minutes and 57 seconds, while the Lamborghini Huracán Performante managed 6 minutes and 52 seconds.
At the Zhuhai track carnival, Zhu Jiang explained how the EP9 managed to surpass these records:
Weighing 1.7 tons, the EP9 generates 2.4 tons of downforce thanks to advanced aerodynamics and an automated chassis, effectively doubling the downforce of an F1 car.
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Despite its cutting-edge design, the EP9 remains minimalist inside, adhering to racing standards. Four LCD screens dominate the interior, replacing conventional controls with a driving mode adjustment knob.
NIO's approach to product development follows the principle of "from the track to the road." Technologies developed for the Formula E race, such as the battery management system and rapid battery swaps, will be integrated into the ES8 and subsequent production models launching later this year.
The ES8, a mid-to-large SUV with an aluminum body and standard air suspension, competes with premium models like the Range Rover and Tesla Model X. However, NIO aims to offer the ES8 at a more accessible price point, closer to that of the Toyota Highlander (~300,000 CNY).
According to NIO's roadmap, the company plans to release the ES8 with autonomous capabilities in China in early 2018, followed by an autonomous electric vehicle in the U.S. market by 2020.
Currently, NIO employs 2,000 people from 40 countries and operates 13 R&D centers globally. With projects ranging from Formula E to the EP9 and the EVE concept car, NIO is challenging Tesla with aggressive timelines and innovative designs. However, maintaining momentum will require sustained effort and focus.
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