Why Choose ET5 for Family Use?

You might wonder why choose ET5 instead of L9, ES7, or G9 for family use. To be honest, even I questioned the ET5’s family use experience in the beginning. However, after using it during the Chinese New Year holiday, I came to a completely different conclusion: The ET5 is completely usable for city family use.

Battery Switching Experience

During the whole holiday, I drove around 800 kilometers in the Shanghai area and switched the battery 4 times – once on the highway service area, once in the city, and twice at the destination charging station near the highway exit. I never depleted the battery during the trip, so I was always able to switch the battery during the journey. The whole experience made me effortless, just like a petrol car that only takes a 5-minute refuelling stop. This seamless user experience had a lot to do with my trip starting from the first day of the year.

All the 4 battery switches happened at second-generation stations. For the first three times, my family and I auto-parked the car and switched batteries. The last time, the battery switch staff took some photos after parking the car himself. At the first battery switch, my family was still wondering how the car could reverse automatically. But from then on, switching the battery was just as simple as refuelling a petrol car – waiting for several minutes.

The appearance of a new thing will inevitably bring some doubts. But “true technology is to make you not feel the existence of technology.” Looking back now, if I had gone out with my family and had to recharge the battery instead of switching it, it would have greatly affected our journey. Perhaps, I would have wondered why I didn’t just choose to drive a petrol car?

Intelligent Cockpit

For the experience of using an electric car, after solving the issue of replenishing energy, everything else is an advantage compared to a petrol car. A more silky power response, a quieter driving experience, and a more intelligent driving feeling are all adding points for family use.

The most frequently used phrase during the trip was “Hi NOMI, I want to listen to…”, or “Hi NOMI, defogging.” These practical experiences show that entertainment-related voice commands bring more fun to family members during the journey, while functional voice commands allow the driver to focus more on driving instead of trying to find a button.

Before driving the ET5, I always thought it would be a car that provided a much poorer experience compared to the ET7. However, the moment I opened the car door in the parking garage, that idea completely disappeared. The ambiance lighting shining on the vertical panel decorations creates a superior sense of luxury, making it even more impressive than the ET7.

The keyword for traveling at night is changing the color of the Hi NOMI. Even though my family is not very concerned about the development of new energy vehicles, nor do they know what ET5 is, they all believe that it is a high-end car after seeing the ambiance lighting. Perhaps this is the power of brand aesthetics and design.

Driving Experience

It may not be related to my height of 1.73 meters, but after driving the ET5 for two days and adjusting to the seating posture, I have full confidence in navigating the streets and alleys of the city. It is easy to glance at the right front to see if it is clear, and returning to other cars that rely on their instincts to go through the right front, I have to readjust.

During the entire Spring Festival holiday, the car was basically full with four adults and one child. Although the ET5 is a relatively sporty model, I still had control over my footwork and took easy turns while driving on city streets and highways. It provides a smooth and comfortable riding environment. Even when encountering a bump on a bridge, the ET5 can maintain a steady ride after just one bump.

Conclusion

Driving in Shanghai with such a smooth and seamless family experience, thanks to having good road conditions and countless battery swapping stations, the ET5 is still a car worth buying in my opinion. Compared to the Model 3, it loses a bit of sportiness, but enjoys the same ease of driving, a more comfortable ride, and a more deluxe cabin ambiance. Compared to the Zeekr 001, it sacrifices some comfort in the car frame, but still maintains excellent car handling capabilities, and it’s oh so beautiful…

Every time I park my ET5, I turn around and the appearance is always the best in the crowd.

This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.