Chinese EV-maker NIO has begun deliveries of its ES8 electric SUV in Norway, and has opened a service and delivery center in Oslo.

The ES8 comes in six- and seven-seat configurations. It boasts a 0-100 km/h time of 4.9 seconds and a peak (CCS) charging rate of 120 kW. There are two battery pack options: the standard-range model has a 75 kWh battery pack and starts at 609,000 Norwegian Kroner ($70,400); the long-range version has a 100 kWh pack, a range of up to 500 km (WLTP) and a starting price of NOK 679,000 ($78,500).

NIO House, the company’s service and delivery center in Oslo, has a floor space of 1,800 square meters. It offers vehicle delivery, maintenance and repair, as well as various customer amenities such as a café, library and “living room.” NIO will provide service in other Norwegian cities through authorized partners.

NIO’s innovative (and controversial) Battery as a Service (BaaS) program is now available in Norway. NIO’s vehicles feature swappable batteries. By the end of 2022, NIO plans to build 20 Power Swap stations in Norway. BaaS customers can purchase a car without a battery, and “subscribe” to batteries of various capacities by paying a monthly fee. Buyers choosing the standard-range battery can deduct NOK 90,000 from the vehicle’s purchase price and pay a battery subscription fee of NOK 1,399 per month. For the long-range battery, the price reduction is NOK 160,000, and the monthly subscription fee is NOK 1,999. 

NIO appears to be on a roll—it says delivery numbers have grown for six consecutive quarters. The company has delivered 66,395 vehicles worldwide so far in 2021.

“Norway is the starting point of our journey in Europe and beyond,” says NIO Europe CEO Alexander Schwarz. “Our vision is to provide our users with seamless and worry-free services as well as supreme and joyful user experiences. From our NIO Houses, such as the first one in Oslo, to our battery swap stations, our worry-free Battery-as-a-Service subscription models and our convenient online services, being part of the NIO community will bring joy, friendship and meaningful interaction.”

Source: NIO