Nio faces another chip shortage with ES8 and has provided customers with a temporary solution

Due to shortages of audio system signal processing chips for the third-generation ES8 SUV, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker revealed in a statement released via the Nio App that orders for ES8 models entering final assembly production starting March 2, 2026, will incorporate a temporary technical solution 

The third-generation Nio ES8

Chip shortage, an issue that severely impacted the automotive industry four years ago, appears to be affecting production of Nio’s third-generation ES8 electric Suv, marking another instance since December last year. 

Due to shortages of audio system signal processing chips for the ES8 Suv, orders for ES8 models entering final assembly production starting March 2, 2026, will incorporate a temporary technical solution to ensure vehicle deliveries. 

Under the solution, the core hardware and fundamental functions of the vehicle's audio system remain unchanged. However, a sound field mode called "Hyper-Immersive" will be temporarily unavailable, according to a Wednesday announcement on the Nio App. 

To reassure consumers and maintain sales momentum, Nio is offering users who opt for this alternative solution a one-time compensation of 20,000 Nio Points — equivalent to about 2,000 yuan ($290). 

Once future chip supply improves, owners may opt to pay 15,000 points or 1,500 yuan for a hardware retrofit to restore this functionality. 

Customers insisting on delivery with the original technical solution will face an estimated 4-6 week delay, during which Nio will issue waiting points according to its policy. 

Users who received deliveries by February 2026 remain unaffected by this adjustment. This marks the second production adjustment due to chip supply disruptions since the Nio ES8's launch. 

In late December last year, Nio implemented a temporary solution for the ES8 due to a shortage of expansion chips for rear-seat entertainment features. This involved disabling certain USB video playback and wired screen mirroring functions, with compensation offered to affected customers. 

Nio emphasised that most features would remain unaffected, but highlighted two specific changes: 

*The system will no longer support video playback via USB drives (though lossless music playback via USB and wireless screen projection capabilities will remain intact); 

*The USB-C port in the armrest will no longer support output to external displays (though data input and wired screen projection up to 1080p resolution will continue to work).