Chinese electric carmaker NIO has reportedly chosen the name for the station wagon version of its ET5 EV, according to the British automotive publication Autocar.
As per the source, which quotes a source with knowledge of the matter, the upcoming model will bear the name NIO ET5 Orion and will be launched later this year with an emphasis on the European market.
The Orion was developed with customers on the Old Continent in mind, where this body style still holds a decent market share, as opposed to the United States and China, where pickups, SUVs, and crossovers rule the charts.
With deliveries set to begin towards the end of the year, the ET5 Orion will first arrive at dealerships in Norway alongside its Tesla Model 3-rivaling sedan sibling, while the United Kingdom will get the new Chinese EVs next year, with NIO hiring Matt Galvin, who was previously in charge of Volvo UK’s commercial operations, to oversee sales of the brand in Great Britain.
As opposed to Tesla, who recently decided to sell the Model S and Model X in the UK with a left-hand drive configuration, the NIO ET5 and ET5 Orion will also be made in right-hand drive.
With a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain capable of delivering up to 360 kilowatts (482 horsepower), the Chinese family hauler is set to become one of the more interesting wagon propositions in Europe, where there’s currently just a handful of rivals on sale: the MG MG5 EV and the Porsche Taycan in Sport Turismo or Cross Turismo versions.
Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but it’s expected to cost more than the MG which starts at roughly $37,000 (£30,995) in the UK and offers two battery options, the biggest one being a 61.1-kilowatt-hour NMC (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt) pack that enables a maximum range of 295 miles (400 kilometers).
The NIO ET5 Orion is expected to be offered with the same battery options as the sedan: a 75-kWh standard range variant, a 100-kWh long range version, and a 150-kWh ultra long range trim. The Orion will also support battery swap technology, with the Chinese brand planning on opening around 70 swap stations around Europe until the end of the year.
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