CMST's carbon fibre aero kit for the NIO ET5T (ηθ£ θ½¦ / shooting brake) is a seven-piece suite β front lip, rear lip, side skirts, front bumper canards, front bumper vent trims, and a bespoke stepped-lattice rear wing β all manufactured in exposed dry carbon fibre weave. The kit is designed specifically for the ET5T body shell and does not require modification of the factory body panels, with every piece fitting to existing mounting points or using automotive-grade adhesive attachment. The CMST NIO ET5T carbon fibre kit is available through AME Motorsport for Australian customers.
- Vehicle: NIO ET5T (all variants)
- Material: Dry carbon fibre (prepreg autoclave) with UV-stable gloss clear coat
- Pieces in kit: Front lip, rear lip, side skirts (pair), front bumper canards, front bumper vent trims, rear wing
- Fitment: Adhesive tape + OEM mounting points β no body modification
- Finish: Exposed 2Γ2 twill weave carbon fibre
- Platform: NIO ET5T shooting brake (ηθ£ θ½¦), all powertrain configurations
The ET5T Platform and Why Carbon Fibre Works Here
The NIO ET5T is an estate-style battery electric vehicle built on NIO's NT2.0 platform, sharing its underpinnings with the ET5 saloon but extending to a shooting brake body with a raised, tapered roofline and larger cargo area. Its factory kerb weight sits above 2,100 kg depending on battery configuration, placing it in a segment where aerodynamic efficiency has measurable impact on range β the ET5T achieves a factory drag coefficient of 0.24 Cd, which is competitive for a wagon-format vehicle.
Carbon fibre aero additions on the ET5T serve a different purpose than on a lighter sports car. Here, each piece contributes to visual sharpening of a deliberately smooth, understated factory silhouette β adding definition at the front, sides, and rear without adding meaningful weight. Dry carbon fibre (prepreg autoclave construction) runs lighter than ABS or FRP alternatives at equivalent strength, and the exposed weave finish reads as a deliberate upgrade rather than a factory colour match.
Front Lip
The front lip sits at the leading lower edge of the factory front bumper, reducing the gap between the bumper's lowest point and the road surface. This lowers the effective frontal area presented to oncoming air at the base of the front bumper, reducing underbody turbulence. At typical motorway speeds the effect is modest, but the visual transformation is significant β the ET5T's factory front bumper sits relatively high off the ground for a premium EV, and the added lip brings the proportions down.
The CMST front lip for the ET5T is a single-piece carbon fibre unit that locates against the factory bumper's lower edge. It uses 3M VHB automotive tape for the primary bond and integrates with the existing push-pin locations along the underside of the bumper apron.
Front Bumper Vent Trims and Canards
The factory ET5T front bumper features flanking intake vents on each side of the lower grille section. CMST's carbon fibre vent trim inserts slot into these openings, providing a defined carbon-weave frame around the intake apertures. At speed, the vent trims accelerate airflow into the cooling passages and add visual depth to the front face.
The canards (εζ ι£ε) mount at the outermost corners of the front bumper, angled outward and rearward into the front wheel arch airflow. Carbon fibre canards on the ET5T achieve two things: they manage the turbulent air coming off the front tyre, which at speed can cause buffeting and increase drag at the front door mirror base, and they signal the width of the front axle visually, giving the ET5T a broader, planted-looking stance from the front.
Carbon Fibre Side Skirts
The side skirts run the full length of the rocker panel between the wheel arches. CMST's ET5T skirts extend further downward than the factory sill trim, lowering the visual waistline of the shooting brake body and improving the visual cohesion between the front and rear aero additions. Each skirt is a single continuous carbon fibre piece with an inner flange that bonds to the factory sill panel using VHB tape at multiple bonding zones, supplemented by OEM-style retaining clips at each end.
The aerodynamic function of side skirts at road speeds is primarily to prevent high-pressure air from rolling under the car from the sides β a phenomenon that increases underbody drag and reduces the effectiveness of any rear diffuser. On a large, tall vehicle like the ET5T, the side skirts also improve the visual ground-to-body transition, making the vehicle appear lower without lowering the suspension.
Rear Lip
The rear lip uses a dual-wrap-corner design that follows the lower edge of the factory rear bumper around both rear corners. This geometry preserves the factory reversing sensor positions and keeps the factory LED tail lamp clusters fully visible β an important consideration on the ET5T, whose full-width rear light bar is a design signature of the car. The corners wrap inward at each end to cleanly terminate at the rear bumper's vertical edge, avoiding the abrupt-cut look that simpler rear lips often produce.
The Rear Wing: Stepped Lattice Design
The rear wing is the most distinctive piece in the CMST ET5T kit. NIO's ET5T has a smooth, rounded bootlid profile β a deliberate aerodynamic choice that minimises drag but leaves the trailing edge without the sharp lip that normally anchors airflow separation cleanly at the rear of a vehicle. Without a defined trailing edge, the airflow from the roof tends to separate unpredictably, creating a turbulent wake region behind the vehicle that increases drag.
CMST addresses this with a wing using a stepped, bilaterally symmetrical lattice design. The stepped profile creates a defined trailing edge geometry where the factory bootlid has none. The open lattice construction reduces weight and visual mass while preserving structural rigidity. The wing mounts on risers that pass through the bootlid surface β the only piece in the kit that requires drilled mounting points rather than adhesive-only attachment.
Finish and Specification
All CMST ET5T carbon fibre pieces are made using prepreg carbon fibre cured in an autoclave β the same process used for motorsport and aerospace applications, which produces consistent fibre-to-resin ratios and eliminates the voids that can appear in wet-layup carbon. The surface weave is a 2Γ2 twill pattern, which gives the characteristic diagonal cross-hatch pattern visible across all pieces. The pieces are clear-coated with a UV-stable automotive clear that maintains the gloss finish and protects the weave from yellowing.
For fitment enquiries for the CMST NIO ET5T carbon fibre kit in Australia, browse the CMST carbon fibre body kit range at AME Motorsport. The broader CMST body kit collection covers additional platforms and materials. To explore CMST's full product range including exhaust systems and wheels, visit the CMST brand page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What pieces are included in the CMST NIO ET5T carbon fibre kit?
The kit includes: front lip, rear lip, side skirts (pair), front bumper vent trims (pair), front bumper canards (pair), and rear wing. The rear wing is the only piece requiring bootlid mounting holes; all other pieces use adhesive tape and existing OEM mounting points.
Does the CMST ET5T kit affect the car's claimed drag coefficient?
CMST does not publish tested Cd figures for the ET5T kit. Generally, a well-designed front lip and side skirts reduce underbody air ingestion and can maintain or marginally improve aerodynamic efficiency. The rear wing adds a small amount of downforce at higher speeds but also increases drag slightly compared to the smooth bootlid. Overall range impact at typical road speeds will be negligible.
Is dry carbon fibre fragile in daily use?
Prepreg autoclave carbon fibre is highly impact-resistant in the plane of the weave but is more vulnerable to sharp point impacts than metal. Front lips and side skirts are the pieces most susceptible to kerb and speed-bump strikes. A direct impact on a carbon fibre front lip from a high kerb can crack the piece β the same impact on an FRP piece would flex and possibly crack, but carbon tends to fracture cleanly rather than deforming. For high-kerb environments, FRP alternatives are worth considering for the front lip.
Will the CMST ET5T kit void the NIO warranty?
Body kit fitment using adhesive and OEM mounting points generally does not void the powertrain or electronics warranty in Australia. The ACCC's guidelines make it difficult for manufacturers to void warranty coverage unrelated to the modification. However, any damage caused directly by the body kit β such as water ingress through a poorly sealed mounting hole β would not be covered. Consult your NIO service centre if in doubt.
Can the CMST ET5T carbon fibre kit be fitted to the ET5 saloon?
No. The ET5T shooting brake and the ET5 saloon share a floor platform but have different body structures from the B-pillar rearward and different front bumper and rocker geometries. The CMST kit is designed specifically for the ET5T body, and pieces will not transfer to the ET5.
How should I care for the carbon fibre clear coat finish in Australia?
Use pH-neutral car shampoo for washing. Apply a UV-protective ceramic spray sealant or carnauba wax every three to six months. Australia's UV index is among the highest in the world β unprotected carbon fibre clear coat will yellow over two to four years of direct exposure without a UV-blocking top coat or regular wax protection.
