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The Chinese EV maker has opened pre-orders for the five-seat version of its large ES8 electric SUV, expanding its flagship model family with a more spacious configuration aimed at the premium large five-seat SUV segment The official launch is scheduled for July 9, and the new five-seat variant will be sold alongside the existing six- and seven-seat ES8 models. Display cars are now available in NIO stores, allowing customers to view the vehicle ahead of launch. Customers who place pre-orders before order locking begins can convert a 5,000 CNY deposit , approximately $735, into a 10,000 CNY discount, approximately $1,470, on the final purchase price. The dedicated pre-order channel will close once order locking opens. NIO founder, chairman and CEO William Li said the five-seat ES8 is intended to bring large five-seat SUVs into the all-electric era and strengthen the ES8’s position in the large SUV market. SPACE, COMFORT AND CARGO CAPACITY The five-seat ES8 uses the same body shell...

A stronger model mix and rapid early take-up for new SUVs have lifted the Chinese EV maker back into contention, though sustained deliveries and margins remain the key proof points NIO ES9 SUV NIO Group’s latest order surge marks a sharp improvement in competitive momentum, with roughly 100,000 firm orders booked across its three brands in the four weeks to mid-June 2026, according to Goldman Sachs’ research . The same data put the group's two-week total above 47,000 units, suggesting that demand remained resilient after the initial launch spike for its flagship ES9 SUV. NIO sells through three brands : the premium Nio marque, the family-focused Onvo, and the compact Firefly. The surge reset the company's standing in a market it had trailed for much of the past year. The scale of the rebound was clearest in Goldman’s week-22 reading (May 25–31), when NIO’s weekly firm orders reached 38,810 units. That placed the company ahead of Geely’s Galaxy and Zeekr lines combined at 22,1...

The model combines more aggressive pricing with new autonomous-driving hardware and consumer incentives, reflecting intensifying competition in China’s electric-car market Onvo, NIO’s volume-focused sub-brand, launched the updated L60 SUV on Thursday with a 6.8% lower starting price , underscoring its push to strengthen competitiveness in China’s crowded EV market. The new L60 starts at 192,800 yuan ($28,440) with the battery included, down from 206,900 yuan for the previous version, while deliveries are scheduled to begin tomorrow.  The model is offered in three trims — Pro, Max+, and Ultra+ — priced at 192,800 yuan, 202,800 yuan, and 222,800 yuan, respectively. Under the BaaS (battery as a service) battery-rental scheme, starting prices fall to 135,800 yuan , 145,800 yuan, and 165,800 yuan. The update introduces 106 enhancements, led by the first use of NIO’s in-house 5-nanometer automotive chip, the Shenji NX9031, and the addition of LiDAR-equipped variants. The Max+ and Ul...

Ma Lin, NIO's vice president of branding and communications, said Monday that the average transaction price of the NIO main brand surpassed 450,000 yuan ($66,330) last week, overtaking traditional luxury auto brands. This strong upward pricing trend is mainly driving by strong demand for the new flagship SUV ES9 and the continued hot sales of the ES8 The NIO flagship SUV ES9 Ma Lin, NIO's vice president of branding and communication s, said Monday that the average transaction price of the Chinese EV maker's main brand vehicles is rising rapidly, highlighting that the company maintains strong brand appeal in China's fiercely competitive premium auto market.  Ma Lin said that the average transaction price of the NIO main brand vehicles exceeded 450,000 yuan ($66,330) last week. He hinted that this average transaction price has surpassed major rivals including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, and the Huawei-backed Aito. This strong upward pricing trend is mainly due to the re...

The Stellantis-backed automaker is accelerating its expansion in Europe's largest auto market by launching a lease plan for its T03 compact EV in Germany. German consumers can lease the T03 for €49 ($58) a month , a plan that factors in a new electric vehicle subsidy, according to a Bloomberg report on Monday.  This attractive price is even cheaper than many local mobile phone plans in Germany, as Leapmotor hopes to capture a larger market share , the report noted.  The lease offer taps into a €3 billion EV subsidy program introduced in Germany this year, bringing the T03's monthly rent to roughly half that of its similarly sized competitors.  For direct comparison, the similarly sized Fiat 500e electric vehicle from the Stellantis group has a monthly lease price of about €99.  The Leapmotor T03 was launched in Europe in September 2024, entering the German market at that time. Despite its low price, the Leapmotor T03 comes generously equipped , featuring a panoram...

The third-generation Nio ES8 delivered 11,260 retail units in February 2026 , holding the top position in China's large SUV market for the third consecutive month — more than double the volume of its nearest rival, the Zeekr 9X , which posted 4,878 units Nio's third-generation ES8 The result came despite one of China's most disruptive automotive slow seasons in years. The 2026 Chinese New Year holiday ran from February 15 to 23 — the longest on record — leaving only 16 working days in the month, three fewer than the prior year.  China's Passenger Car Association (CPCA) had flagged February as the year's likely sales trough. Against that backdrop, the ES8's volume still represented a 65.8% year-on-year increase for the Nio main brand, which delivered 15,159 units in total during the month. The ES8 accounted for 54.14% of Nio total February deliveries of 20,797 units, and 74.28% of Nio main brand volumes. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the SUV delivered 39,697 ...

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker achieved substantial year-on-year growth in February deliveries despite the widespread negative impact of the Chinese New Year holiday on production and deliveries across China's auto industry The third-generation Nio ES8 EV Suv Nio announced on Sunday that it delivered 20,797 new vehicles in February, a 57.6% year-on-year increase despite a 23.49% decline from January. The 2026 Spring Festival holiday fell in mid-to-late February, while last year it was primarily January. This caused seasonal weakness across the industry, with competitors' deliveries also broadly impacted.  The Chinese New Year Holiday period typically weighs on both production and sales activity, making February one of the weakest months of the year. Furthermore, this year’s holiday is three days longer than 2025 , marking the longest on record — according to China’s Passenger Car Association (CPCA) — and reducing the month to just 16 work days.  The latest figures ...

The flagship EV Suv has reached its milestone less than a month after the model surpassed the 60,000-unit delivery mark on February 1, further solidifying its position in China's premium electric vehicle market  Nio completed the delivery of its 70,000th third-generation ES8 on Friday in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, further solidifying its position in China's premium electric vehicle market . The milestone comes less than a month after the model surpassed the 60,000-unit delivery mark on February 1. It’s worth noting that this period included a nine-day Spring Festival holiday.  Since deliveries began on September 21, 2025, the all-new ES8 has demonstrated remarkable market momentum. I t took just 41 days to reach 10,000 deliveries , and by December 29, 2025, it had delivered 40,000 units in 100 days—making it the fastest model priced above 400,000 yuan (($58,340) to hit the 40,000-delivery mark, across all energy types. On February 1 , 2026, the all-new ES8 completed its 60,000th deliv...

Stellantis is considering adopting electric vehicle (EV) technology from its Chinese partner Leapmotor to reduce costs for its mass-market European brands including Fiat, Opel, and Peugeot, Bloomberg reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter  The potential move would mark t he first time a major Western automaker relies on a Chinese company's vehicle architecture and software to support its European models. The sources said Stellantis is evaluating expanding the scope of its joint venture with Leapmotor to access the latter's more advanced battery and electric powertrain technologies.  The parties aim to finalize an agreement this year , though negotiations remain in early stages and must overcome regulatory hurdles including data protection concerns and US restrictions on connected vehicles with Chinese ties, the report noted. This consideration for deepening cooperation comes as Stellantis navigates a painful strategic restructuring.  Facing intense c...

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker officially releases its 2026 Spring Festival Battery Swap Report. Data shows that during this Spring Festival holiday, Nio provided a total of 3,271,441 charging and battery swap services , a 26.6% increase in daily average compared to last year’s Spring Festival. Among these, battery swap services reached 2,073,500 times, a year-on-year daily average increase of 29.4% Nio officially releases its 2026 Spring Festival Battery Swap Report. The data covers February 10-23. The recently concluded 2026 Chinese New Year holiday ran from February 15-23. The report includes the three brands: Nio, Onvo, and Firefly. Data shows that during this Spring Festival holiday, Nio provided a total of 3,271,441 charging and battery swap services, a 26.6% increase in daily average compared to last year’s Spring Festival. Among these, battery swap services reached 2,073,500 times, a year-on-year daily average increase of 29.4%.  Notably, Nio also supplied 25,28...

Due to shortages of audio system signal processing chip s 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 u...

The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker will hold a product and technology launch event for its new flagship Suv around April 10. The model will officially go on sale in late May, when pricing will be announced, with deliveries commencing on June 1  The Nio ES9 flagship Suv The Nio ES9 flagship Ev Suv will commence deliveries in China on June 1, the company’s co-founder and president Qin Lihong revealed at the Nio Spring Festival. Qin described the ES9's positioning as the full suite of ET9 technologies packaged within an exceptionally large Suv body. The ES9 will also become the largest mass-produced Chinese BEV crossover.  The ES9 adopts all the technology from the previously launched ET9. The ET9 is Nio's executive flagship sedan, equipped with its SkyRide chassis system and priced starting at 768,000 yuan ($111,370). Porting ET9's technology to an Suv platform positions the ES9 to compete technically with flagship luxury SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and BMW X...

The Chinese EV maker set a new daily battery swap record two days after the previous record high was reached during the Chinese New Year travel rush. The automaker shared that its 3,750 stations performed 158,290 battery swaps in 24 hours on February 18  Nio performed 158,290 battery swaps in 24 hours on February 18 The previous record was set on February 16 with 146,549 battery swaps. Nio shared that its battery swap station (Power Swap Station, PSS) network performed around 6,595 replacements per hour. It is striking 110 swaps per minute . All three PSS with the highest battery replacement numbers are located on highways. It isn’t surprising, as the travel rush continues in China with many people returning to their hometowns to spend time with their families.  The highway’s battery swap station near Fuzhou, Fujian, performed 166 swaps in 24 hours. This swap number is impressive. However, the latest fourth-generation PSS can handle 480 swaps daily . It takes around three m...

On February 15, Nio provided 146,649 battery swaps in a single day, setting a new record, the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker announced Monday  On February 15, the first day of China's 2026 Spring Festival holiday , Nio provided 146,649 battery swaps in a single day, setting a new record high. February 15 marked the first day of China's 2026 Spring Festival holiday, which runs through February 23. The Chinese New Year falls on February 17.  Nio opened its first battery swap station in Shenzhen on May 20, 2018 , and as of July 5, it had 999 battery swap stations and 896 supercharging stations in China. Nio owners were skeptical in the early days of battery swap service availability, but as they have experienced the convenience of the service over the past few years, battery swap has gained widespread acceptance.  It took Nio 29 months to see its battery swap service reach its first 1 million , 20 months to go from the 1 millionth to the 9 millionth, and only 1 m...

The EV Suv surged from third place in December to the top spot with 37,869 units , becoming the best-selling NEV and vehicle in the first month of the year  Xiaomi YU7 The Xiaomi YU7 electric Suv has claimed the title of China’s best-selling passenger vehicle in January 2026, according to data cited by Xiaomi Group executives. Xu Jieyun, Special Assistant to the Chairman of Xiaomi Group and Deputy General Manager of the Strategic Marketing Department, shared the news on February 12th, stating: “In January, YU7 was the sales champion. Thank you for your support.”  According to the national passenger vehicle retail sales ranking released by Autohome , the Xiaomi YU7 surged from third place in December to the top spot with 37,869 units, making it the domestic passenger vehicle retail sales champion for the month. The Geely Boyue L followed closely in second place with 34,176 units sold, outperforming the third-place Geely Geome Xingyuan by nearly 5,200 units. The Xingyuan se...

Founder, Chairman and CEO Lei Jun posted a milestone update on February 11. "We calculated the data," he wrote. " From the first delivery in April 2024 to February 2026 , the first-generation SU7 electric sedan delivered over 381,000 units in under two years."  First-generation Xiaomi SU7 Xiaomi has stopped production of the first-generation SU7 as the company prepares to launch an updated version of the electric sedan in two months. The final first-generation Xiaomi SU7 has rolled off the production line and is en route for delivery to its owner, Xiaomi founder, chairman, and CEO Lei Jun said during a live video broadcast on Tuesday. The Xiaomi founder later clarified that cumulative deliveries of the first-generation SU7 have exceeded 381,000 units.  Launched on March 28, 2024 , the SU7 is Xiaomi's first electric vehicle model and began deliveries in April 2024. The model, positioned as a competitor to Tesla Model 3 , enabled Xiaomi to achieve rapid succes...