NIO ET7 hits drag coefficient of 0.208

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Sept. 24, NIO announced the ET7, its fourth mass-produced model and first sedan model, has achieved a drag coefficient of 0.208 as a result of a recent wind tunnel test, versus 0.23 initially announced.

The startup claimed it is the second best performance for production models worldwide, only 0.008 higher than that of the Mercedes-Benz EQS.

The lower drag coefficient will help the ET7 achieve a driving range of over 1,000 kilometers with the new 150kWh battery pack, said the company.

Photo credit: NIO

According to NIO, this breakthrough was made through 800 CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation cases and 120 hours of wind tunnel testing completed by NIO's aerodynamics team in the past two years.  

To make the ET7 more aerodynamic, NIO's aerodyniamics team optimized multiple design details, including front windshield inclination angle, radii and angles between the headlights and the front fenders, fastback design and ducktail spoiler, C pillar character lines, approach and departure angles, and wheels. Besides, the team spared no efforts to improve the inclination and radii of the roof-mounted LiDAR and cameras, which enable a more commanding view, but pose a challenge to the car's aero efficiency.

What's more, the greater aero performance is also thanks to the active grill shutter (AGS) and air suspension that come standard on the ET7, as well as the lightweight underbody coverage.