What if your car shook off the snow like a big dog just out to play in the garden? No, I'm not crazy: it's the bizarre function that Nio, the Chinese electric company, has just unveiled its upcoming ET9 super-sedan. A dream vehicle with a prohibitive price, apparently also capable of freeing itself from the whims of winter thanks to a futuristic suspension system.
Shaking off the winter
In a video posted on Weibo last month, Nio showed off this curious ability of its upcoming ET9, an ultra-luxurious Chinese electric sedan (it will cost the equivalent of 110.000 euros) which is expected to be delivered in early 2025.
The ability to shake off the snow like a Siberian husky after the Iditarod race is due to its advanced suspension system, called Sky Ride, which includes independent hydraulic pumps for each wheel. The system boasts such precision that it can carry a small pyramid of glasses. As.
Doubts and perplexities
I know, every now and then my fussy side comes out, but I can't help but be a little skeptical about the ET9's actual ability to shed snow, a feature that seems more like a publicity stunt than a real innovation.
The snow shown in the video released by Nio is soft and fresh. How would the car fare in conditions like freezing rain, sleet and wet snow that can cake windshield wipers and door handles? Even in Naples in the coldest weeks I see my wife in distress with the scraper in her hand, and up.
And even if the Chinese electric car really manages to shake off snow and ice, we will still have to deal with the white blanket that surrounds it. I guess the old tools aren't ready for retirement yet.
Chinese “anti-snow” electric car: extreme luxury or an exercise in style?
There is no denying that the Nio ET9 is a concentration of technology and refinement. With a'declared autonomy of over 1.000 km, a cutting-edge autonomous driving system and interiors worthy of a luxury suite, the Chinese electric car presents itself as the ultimate in premium mobility.
But at what costs? Not only in terms of price, which makes it inaccessible to most, but also of real added value. Functions such as "shaking off" the snow, however spectacular, risk appearing more as exercises in style than as authentic innovations capable of improving the driving experience.
An uphill challenge
Of course, Nio is aiming high, very high. The declared objective is to undermine Tesla's primacy in the luxury electric car market, thanks to a solid base in the Chinese market (and a growing presence in Europe, until tariffs do us part).
However, the road is still long and full of obstacles. In addition to having to demonstrate the actual effectiveness and reliability of its technological solutions, Nio will have to deal with increasingly fierce competition, both from historic luxury brands (all now launched in the race for electrification) and from new players in the High range battery operated.
Dream or reality?
In short, the ET9 presents itself as a dream car, capable of almost magical feats such as shaking off the snow with a shrug of the shoulders. But the boundary between dream and reality, as we know, is often more blurred than we think.
We'll see if this futuristic Chinese electric car will be able to keep its promises, or if it will end up being remembered more for its big dog "tricks" than for its real performance on the road. In the meantime, it's best to keep a shovel and scraper handy. At least until our faithful four-wheeled friends really learn to "groom" themselves.
