On the afternoon of May 10th, 2019, at 3:40pm, located at Shanghai Expo Circuit, with the sound of “La la la la la la~Come and get your love~” to the theme song of “Guardians of the Galaxy” in the background, I arrived at the NIO test drive venue after a year of absence. The difference is that the vehicle being test driven that day was the new ES6, whereas the last time it was the ES8, which has since been taken out of production.
This time, I joined my friend Messi to participate in the ES6 test drive. NIO officials divided the event into 6 sections: 1. QR code check-in; 2. Intro to ES6; 3. Vehicle presentation; 4. Comprehensive driving experience; 5. Extreme performance experience; 6. ES6 configuration ordering.
As always, NIO also brought their NIO House to the test drive venue, including Gallery for showcasing ES6 and vehicle configurations, Forum for detailed explanation of the ES6 test drive process, Open Kitchen for providing delicious food and drinks, Market Place for selling NIO Life souvenirs, Joy Camp for entertaining children of test drivers, and Living Room for rest and refreshments.
After learning about the steps and precautions for the ES6 test drive at the Forum, we began the test drive. However, the actual driving order was slightly different, so I decided to guide you through the ES6’s features in the order of “static-dynamic-optional”.
Static
- Front face
As the second mass-produced vehicle released by NIO, the ES6’s front face still follows the family design language of “X-Bar”. However, the chrome X-Bar on the ES8 has been replaced with a decoration that matches the color of the vehicle. The gap line on the hood was also adjusted upward, and the single air intake grille below the decoration was much narrower than that of the ES8. The more prominent and flat design of the ES6 gives it a more youthful and dynamic appearance. The headlights, fog lights with turn assist function, and flow-turn signal lights of the ES6 are also all LED, just like the ES8.
- Side view# ES6 Exterior Design
Compared with ES8, the side lines of ES6 have more rugged and dynamic features, and the waistline is more simple and clear. The downward amplitude of the rear contour line of the roof is larger. Although the overall length of the car is shorter than ES8, the proportion is more coordinated, which gives a more muscular feeling. The charging interfaces on both sides of the front fender have been optimized into electric switches, and the internal cover has been removed. Moreover, the electric charging port cover will also support FOTA upgrades in the future. ES6 adopts a hidden door handle design, which automatically retracts when the car is started for 60 seconds or the driving speed exceeds 3 km/h. This can effectively reduce air resistance and improve visual consistency. The wheel eyebrow lights above the wheels can display “white, blue, and red” in different colors, corresponding to multiple functions such as “locking the car”, “upgrading or authorizing”, and “warning pedestrians”.
ES6 Rear Design
The rear of the ES6 is not as different from the ES8 as the front. The main difference is the smoked LED taillights, which make the car look more dynamic and three-dimensional. Additionally, the shark fin-shaped black decorative panel under the rear bumper is added to the rear vertical reflector, and the decorative panel of the same color as the rear bumper makes the rear of the car more distinctive. This allows people to better distinguish between ES6 and ES8 from the rear.
ES6 Interior Design
Steering Wheel and Front Seats
After entering the main driving seat, the most intuitive difference between ES6 and ES8 is the three-spoke steering wheel and the one-piece seat. The D-shaped skeleton design facilitates the driver’s entry and exit of the vehicle, and the arc-shaped design of the upper part of the steering wheel at three and nine o’clock is very humanized. Coupled with the package of Nappa leather, the grip feels very close to the human hand.
The one-piece sport seat is different from the separated seat design of ES8. Its design is more beautiful and dynamic, and it has better optimization on lateral support. In addition, the headrest supports two-way adjustment. The queen co-driver’s seat, front seat ventilation, and massage functions are still standard on the ES6 commemorative edition. Although the size is smaller than that of the ES8, the functions remain the same. A makeup mirror is also equipped above the co-driver’s seat, and when the magnetic suction curtain is fully opened, it will automatically perform warm lighting compensation.
- Infotainment System
One of the focuses of NIO enthusiasts for this time is the 11.3-inch infotainment screen. In ES8, the problem of the wide black edges of the 10.4-inch screen affecting beauty was often criticized. In ES6, the bezel has been optimized to be narrower, and the screen ratio has been increased to 80% with a resolution upgrade from 16001200 to 16001400. Multi-touch is still supported for operation, but the fingerprint collection function of the infotainment system is still a common problem for ES6 and ES8. The screen under strong light is almost covered with fingerprints, which greatly affects the visual effect.
The physical buttons on the center console are basically the same as those on ES8, with the main difference being that the black piano baked lacquer decoration used on ES8 has been completely replaced by lunar eclipse chrome and black matte brushed aluminum plates. Both the decorations around the sound and the speaker cover also use the above two materials. In addition to intuitively improving the luxury of the vehicle, this resolves the problem of black piano lacquer being a “fingerprint collector”. The ES8’s large armrest box and storage area have also been inherited in ES6, making it convenient for ES6 owners to place various materials and personal items.
- Digital Dashboard
The ES6’s digital dashboard is the same size as the ES8’s, with a resolution of 1600*900 and an anti-glare, anti-reflective coating. The brightness supports automatic adjustment, and it seems to have done some optimization in anti-glare reflection control compared to ES8, and the reflection in strong light is no longer so obvious. In April, after the ACC was updated on ES8, a single-lane road condition detection was added to the lower right corner of the dashboard. Combined with the button on the left side of the steering wheel, it can activate, exit, and adjust the distance and speed of adaptive cruise control.
According to official introductions, the dashboard and infotainment system will undergo a major UI optimization in the future ES6 deliveries, but there are currently no indicative images released, which is worth looking forward to.
- HUD
Below is the English Markdown text with the professional translation:
The HUD (Head-up Display) in front of the car has a good image effect, with a resolution of 480*240 and an imaging size of 10 inches. The height can be adjusted according to the driver’s needs on the center console.
- Roof and Sunroof
The Microfiber suede roof has a great texture, and the ES6’s Microfiber suede material is mainly distributed on the A, B, and D pillars, as well as the roof and sides of the seats. According to official sources, the total area covered by the Microfiber suede material is up to 6 square meters, which is quite sincere for vehicles of the same level.
The ES6’s electric panoramic sunroof is standard across all models, with a sunroof opening area of 0.5 square meters, but the lighting area is only 0.04 square meters less than the ES8, reaching 1.15 square meters. Compared to same-level SUVs, this sunroof size is already considered large.
- Rear Seat
The Nappa leather on the ES6 covers an area of 13.3 square meters, which shows NIO’s sincerity in terms of materials. However, it’s unknown whether the ES6’s Nappa leather is slightly hard, as the wrapping of the front and rear seats are not as expected, and the overly flat design is somewhat uncomfortable. The ES6’s rear air conditioning temperature is controlled by the front center console, and cannot be independently operated in the rear. There are two USB ports below the air conditioning for rear passengers to charge electronic devices.
- Trunk
As a five-seater SUV, the ES6’s 584 L trunk capacity is already an excellent achievement. There is also 88 L of flat space below the trunk compartment for storing small items, which improves the utilization of the car’s interior space. If traveling alone or with two people, the trunk capacity can reach 1433 L by folding down the rear seats completely.
Performance
- 0-100 km/h Acceleration Experience
When the coach demonstrated the zero to one hundred acceleration for the first time, I was sitting in the back seat. Before departure, I thought I could easily accept the ES6’s acceleration performance, but perhaps because I hadn’t eaten lunch, I clearly felt the roller coaster-like thrust. The ES6’s acceleration time of 4.1s-4.2s in sport mode is not inferior to the ES8’s close-to-3.9s performance in sport mode.
- Braking Performance
ES6 inherits the excellent braking performance of its predecessor ES8. According to the official data provided by various auto manufacturers, currently, only Lamborghini Urus (33.7 meters) and ES8 (33.84 meters) have a shorter braking distance than ES6 (33.9 meters) in the 100-0 km/h braking test. Tesla Model X’s braking distance is 33.94 meters, which is only 0.04 meters longer than ES6. This outstanding result is due to the Brembo four-piston brake calipers on the front wheels. When I step on the brakes deeply after accelerating, the vehicle stops quickly, accurately and steadily.
Different from my way of fully stepping on the accelerator and brakes, Messi adopts the normal braking method of releasing the accelerator pedal and gradually stepping on the brake after accelerating. The whole process can be said to be very smooth, which is also attributed to the iBooster electronic power brake system adopted by ES6, which can reduce the braking distance better by energy recovery, help the vehicle increase a little endurance, and reduce the wear of the brake pads.
- S-line
The S-line test of ES6 consists of eight post markers, with a distance of 18 meters between each post marker. The coach completed the entire S-line test at a speed of about 68 km/h, and the body’s tilt performance was very good. Messi and I didn’t dare to drive too fast, and the speed was about 55 km/h. Overall, we are very satisfied with the grip and handling performance of ES6.
However, ES6 still has the old problem of ES8, that is, the steering wheel is too light and there is a floating phenomenon. Even in sports mode, the steering wheel cannot produce a certain sense of damping when turning, which feels unstable. Before the official delivery, I hope the manufacturer can pay attention to this issue, add some sense of damping to the steering wheel, and optimize the accuracy of the steering.
- Railway Sleeper Test
The railway sleeper test simulates the driving condition of daily bumping. Messi and I drove very comfortably on this section. I already had some good impressions of NIO’s air suspension when test driving ES8 before. Thanks to the active air suspension and dynamic suspension damping control of Continental in Germany, ES6 moves forward on the railway sleeper test at a speed of about 7 km/h, and the passengers in the vehicle almost don’t feel severe vibration.
- Cross-Axle Test
Simulate road conditions when the vehicle loses grip. This part received high praise from me and Messi. The cross-axle test tests the rigidity and off-road performance of the vehicle. When passing through the cross-axle, although the whole vehicle is in a suspended state, the four-wheel drive system still reasonably distributes the vehicle’s power, making the vehicle pass the cross-axle test very smoothly.
Since ES6, like ES8, does not have a differential lock, when the vehicle loses grip, the induction motor intervenes and cooperates with the permanent magnet motor to redistribute power through the intelligent electronic four-wheel drive system, allowing the vehicle to escape smoothly. Of course, after the vehicle is rescued, it remains intact without any deformation, thanks to the 44930 Nm/Deg torsion stiffness of the ES6 that gives the vehicle good rigidity.
- Rainbow Bridge Test
Test the climbing ability of the vehicle and the stability of the vehicle when going downhill. Thanks to the smart electronic four-wheel drive system and electronic parking brake system of ES6, stable power distribution is provided for the vehicle when climbing. When going downhill, ES6’s steep slope descent control system also helps the vehicle smoothly enter the flat ground without the intervention of the brake pedal to control the vehicle speed.
- “Mysterious Dark Room”
ES6’s visual, auditory, and olfactory experience. I have heard before that ES6 has improved the front and rear turn signals to flowing ones. Both Messi and I were looking forward to it, but after seeing the actual demonstration effect, we were slightly disappointed. It may be because many domestic independent brands are using similar turn signals, so there is nothing particularly outstanding about them. What really caught our eye were the ten-color ambient lights. ES6’s ambient lights are significantly brighter than those of ES8, even in very bright sunlight, the ambient lights under the dashboard are still clearly visible.Compared with ES8, ES6’s progress in sound quality is not particularly significant. In the six different sound modes, the bass is still not very noticeable, and there is still electronic noise in high-pitched situations. As an audio manufacturer who has been producing for the public and general market, the sound produced by Suzhou’s Shangsheng augmented with Arkamys’ equalization should be better. It is hoped that NIO can further optimize the sound quality.
The brand-new intelligent fragrance system introduced in ES6 can be changed through the central control or by calling NOMI. Currently, there are three fragrances available: sunshine, stars, and wilderness, all of which are refreshing and energizing.
- Regular Road Test
This is arguably the most impressive part of our overall experience with ES6. The driving vision of ES6 is very expansive. The A-pillar does not obstruct the view excessively, and both the driver and passenger sides have angled windows, which widen the field of view for both. In both startup and driving modes, one can observe the surroundings easily. The exterior mirrors of ES6 provide blind spot monitoring, which assists the safety of the vehicle if there are cars approaching from the left or right rear side. The LED lights on the side mirrors will flash, notifying the driver of the nearby vehicle. The HUD function that was very popular on ES8 can also be selected on ES6. During this test drive, Messi and I hardly looked at the displayed speed on the dashboard. Instead, we mainly focused on the speed displayed on the HUD.
I must admit that ES6 has inherited and optimized many of the strengths of ES8, but there are also some areas for improvement. In addition to the light steering wheel mentioned above, ES6’s brake pedal has the same problem as ES8 having the front end being soft. During the performance test, it was hard to notice the brake pedal when heavily pressing it to step on the brake. It wasn’t until driving on the road that I realized the brake pedal of ES6 is difficult to stop directly with a light touch, and one needs to apply more force to make it effective.
ES6’s 360-degree high-definition panoramic view system is impressive. Compared with the previously fuzzy, distorted, and misaligned 360-degree panoramic images of ES8, ES6’s panoramic view is truly revolutionary. It is rightfully “high-definition”. What’s more, it can automatically exit when the car speed exceeds 18 km/h, instead of waiting for the central control to be turned off or the interface to be switched. Compared to ES8, which maintains the image even when not in use, it is a great improvement. Overall, ES6’s panoramic image has reached an excellent level.Although we test drove the vehicle on regular roads, we experienced the driving conditions at various speeds from 0-90 km/h. Like the ES8, the ES6 still emits a low-speed warning sound at speeds below 30 km/h to alert pedestrians of a nearby vehicle. At speeds below 70 km/h, the NVH is excellent. Since the first edition commemorative version we drove came with the Michelin MC6 tire, the main feature of which is comfort and silence, the tire noise outside the vehicle is hardly noticeable. Moreover, because the ES6 uses double-layered glass, the wind noise is also well controlled. In the speed range of 70-90 km/h, the wind noise outside the vehicle and the motor sound of the vehicle are slightly more noticeable. Compared with other vehicles in the same category, the ES6’s silence is already very outstanding.
Because there are construction sites nearby, during the road test, we also drove through bumpy road sections. The active air suspension (four body heights: + 40 mm / 0 mm / – 0 mm / – 50 mm; automatically adjusted according to road conditions, load, speed and driving mode) mentioned above and the dynamic suspension damping control can help the ES6 approach a level like a flat surface when driving over bumpy roads, allowing passengers to feel that the ES6 is more comfortable than other vehicles in the same price and category, which is extremely valuable for the money.
In addition, the Auto Hold system of the ES6 is also worth mentioning. Although many mid-priced gasoline vehicles now have Auto Hold, the design of ES6’s Auto Hold seems to be more considerate of the safety of passengers. Most vehicles need to step on the accelerator pedal to release Auto Hold, but for the ES6 with good acceleration performance, such an operation in a parking lot or garage scenario would be very dangerous. Therefore, the ES6 also supports stepping on the brake pedal again to release Auto Hold, which can be said to be very user-friendly.
Finally, let’s talk about the “companion” of the ES6-NOMI Mate. The NOMI Mate on the ES6 can be said to be completely new, with more expressions, smoother response, and better recognition of more fuzzy operations, etc. Throughout the entire driving process, you hardly need to operate the center console at all. You can complete what you want to do by interacting with NOMI, which is both worry-free and effortless.
- Conclusion of the test driveAs a newly launched car that has not yet been delivered, the ES6 is performing well. The driving and handling are more sporty than the ES8. As a five-seater SUV, the vehicle has good comfort, but the large size and weight of 2.345 tons do affect its flexibility. However, because of the bulky body, the ES6 has a stable transmission of road feeling and support of the whole vehicle, making it a stable drive without floating. The steering and braking damping still need some improvement, and it is hoped that the subsequent mass-produced models will be adjusted.
During the road test, unfortunately, we did not experience the ACC. Although the total duration of this test drive was nearly one hour, we could not experience the related functions of the ES6, which is equipped with automatic driving assistance hardware. This is quite regretful and disappointing for the test drive experience. As an intelligent electric SUV, automatic driving assistance should be a feature that enhances the ES6, and we hope that NIO will open this feature for experience after the release of NIO Pilot in June. Even though there are still many areas for improvement and optimization in the early stage, I still very much hope to experience NIO’s automatic driving assistance as soon as possible. After all, this marks an important step for the new forces in China’s automobile industry to expand into an untapped field through independent research and development. I sincerely hope that NIO Pilot can arrive on schedule, fulfilling the long-awaited dream of NIO owners.
Impression
After reading this, I believe that the readers, whether they have test-driven the ES6 or not, have a general understanding of this car. However, I still recommend that interested users try it out for themselves because everyone has different preferences, and feedback from their own experience is the most authentic and sincere. Before ending, I still want to talk about some of my thoughts and feelings about NIO.
As the leading new force in China’s automobile industry, NIO, since the NIO Day on December 16, 2017, has entered the view of the Chinese car community with high momentum. From the grand pronouncements made by the founder, Li Bin, to the software bugs that appeared during delivery in 2018, and to the many negative news and unfounded rumors that have followed, NIO has always been the focus of the public’s attention, but also bears many “slanders” and “insults” as it moves forward.# NIO’s Efforts and Challenges
NIO has always been criticized for its “mileage” and “inferior products and services to make up for it.” The main reason is that the actual range of the ES8 models provided to users is generally only about 80% of the NEDC range officially announced by NIO, and there are software bugs such as black screen, crash, and the car singing in the middle of the night. These issues have been amplified by some self-media sources and distorted information, leading to more and more people questioning NIO vehicle owners, as if NIO users have been brainwashed or have low intelligence. In the most common situation, when an ES8 has an accident, the owner’s friends go to inquire and comfort them, and they are looked at with strange eyes. Although they verbally offer consolation, for the owner, it is like being stabbed in the chest.
However, for the owners, is NIO really so unbearable? The answer is obviously negative. The vast majority of NIO owners are not brainwashed or unintelligent when showing tolerance to NIO’s previous problems, but because NIO has indeed achieved response efficiency and service quality that traditional automakers cannot do so far. As users, what they care most about when the vehicle has problems or needs help is the solution to the problem and the attitude of the official in handling it. NIO can meet users’ satisfaction and rest assured in these two aspects. At the same time, the NIO House in various city landmarks where NIO owners can experience owner activities and enjoy owner benefits is also something that owners of other brands cannot understand and perceive.
However, this easily leads to another problem: NIO’s approach makes many people feel that NIO is “light on R&D and heavy on marketing.” In fact, as the first echelon of China’s new car-making forces, NIO has made a lot of efforts in the field of technology research and development, such as the 160 kW permanent magnet motor and 240 kW asynchronous motor, the electric supercar EP9, the concept car EVE, two relatively mature SUV models ES8 and ES6, and battery swap stations.
NIO actually has a lot of reasonable and worth “showing off” technology reserves, but because the company’s business philosophy is user-oriented, it has obviously had a fracture with the outside world when focusing on creating user community. Information is almost transmitted and exchanged solely on the NIO App, and the outside world can receive information that is almost hearsay or news that has been embellished with a lot of content. Faced with various public relations issues, NIO has rarely provided clear answers and feedback.So NIO’s challenge is not about public perception, but about public trust. In recent months, with the ES8 speeding incident, the abuse of NIO owners, and the recent combustion accidents, NIO is still the focus of attention. Fortunately, we can see that NIO’s attitude towards non-users has changed. The company’s executives have successively opened Weibo accounts to receive and respond to more feedback from the outside world, giving responses regardless of praise or criticism. The PR team has gradually begun to exert its efforts, informing the public of any problems or incidents early and revealing the results of official investigations and conclusions, thereby closing the loop on problems. Senior management is answering media interviews more rationally and objectively, no longer making lofty remarks or making premature commitments on some issues… These measures indicate that NIO’s management has realized that some previous strategies and decisions had some problems, and therefore made appropriate adjustments.
The current changes for NIO may still be lacking in strength. To make the outside world more aware of NIO’s business model, technology development, and other situations, it is necessary to have more interactions with the media and some public figures. Spreading through the media is far more efficient and faster than promoting through point-to-point development of car owners for several months; an unconventional marketing event may top the influence of several months of car owner activities; choosing social platforms with large user bases to open topics and enable more ordinary people to freely express themselves and select questions to answer, and jumping out of single car owner communities to multi-dimensional user networks, helping the outside world better understand NIO; periodically disclosing some R&D progress and opening related lecture activities can also obtain external input while outputting information, and enterprise image changes are often easier to change existing public prejudices…
The above are just some thoughts I have as a potential NIO user and follower. As a pioneer in electric vehicles, Tesla Model S took nearly three years from mass production to delivery of over 10,000 vehicles, while NIO achieved that in just one year. It can be said that NIO’s development speed is indeed very fast, but running too fast often overlooks the scenery along the way and the passersby. Once public support is lost, loneliness can easily destroy a person’s confidence. I hope that NIO can be on a path that is trusted and supported by the public, and keep advancing.
Finally, in the new energy automobile industry, the journey is long, and those who win the hearts of the people win the market. Do not do unto others what you don’t want done to yourself. Avoid belittling and slandering others, and do not make excessive promises and fail to keep them. In concluding my article, I believe my friend’s catchphrase is most fitting: “Pessimists are often correct, optimists often succeed.” No matter how NIO’s journey ends, actions speak louder than words, and time will tell everything!“`
“`
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.