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Basketball legend Yao Ming has taken delivery of his NIO ES9 more than two months after placing an order, turning a celebrity handover into a telling snapshot of demand for the Chinese EV maker’s new flagship SUV. Xia Qinghua (right), general manager of NIO's Shanghai regional office, handed over the NIO ES9 to Yao Ming “After a long two-month wait, I finally got my ES9 today,” Yao wrote on the NIO App. William Li, NIO’s founder, chairman and CEO , later congratulated him on Weibo and said the delay came down to timing : Yao placed his order on the night of the ES9's launch event, but locked it in a few minutes after orders opened, which is why he had to wait more than two months, Li wrote. The detail matters because Yao was not just another early customer. NIO appointed the NBA Hall of Famer as chief experience officer for the ES9 ahead of its May 27 launch, and he appeared on stage at the event to discuss the vehicle. Even so, the company’s public account of his wait reinfo...

The third-generation NIO ES8 The third-generation Nio ES8 has quickly become one of the most effective loyalty stories in China’s electric-vehicle market, with new survey data suggesting that owners are not only satisfied with the flagship SUV but are actively converting that satisfaction into recommendations and repeat demand. Survey points to an unusually strong ownership experience The all-new ES8 scored 83.9 for post-delivery product satisfaction , comfortably ahead of the 70.8 industry average, according to a Tuesday survey by Chinese automotive market research firm Land Roads. The largest gaps came in areas central to daily EV use : energy replenishment, lighting and the smart cockpit, where the ES8 outperformed the industry average by 37.7, 34.1 and 32.6 points respectively. That satisfaction is translating into brand momentum. NIO posted a Net Promoter Score of 81.9 in the first half of 2026, ranking first among China’s new energy vehicle brands, while the ES8 itself reached 8...

NIO's 3,994th battery swap station began operations on August 3 NIO Inc will put its first fifth-generation battery swap station into operation on August 7 in Quanzhou, Fujian province , a facility that will also stand as the company's 4,000th swap site in China. Ma Lin, NIO's vice president of branding and communications, revealed the date on Monday. He said on August 1 that the first fifth-generation station would go live in early August, but did not give a specific date at the time.  NIO has built its brand around battery swapping as an alternative to fast charging , a strategy few competitors have replicated at scale, and the new station represents the biggest structural change to that network since it launched. The station will run on a rebuilt fifth-generation swap architecture built to accommodate a far wider range of vehicle wheelbases than earlier generations. The station will support battery swaps for users of all of the company's three brands — NIO, Onvo and ...

Nio Inc's premium compact EV brand is preparing to expand beyond its first model with Halo, a design-focused lineup that gives Nio a broader presence in China’s urban EV market. The launch comes as the brand builds momentum from strong delivery growth, accessible pricing and a strategy aimed at younger city drivers. Nio Inc's premium compact EV brand Firefly is preparing to broaden its product strategy with the launch of Halo, a new design-led series aimed at strengthening its position in China's urban electric-car market.  The company unveiled the Halo series on Friday and said the first model in the lineup will make its official debut on July 20.  Firefly released several teaser images showing the vehicle's exterior finish, softly illuminated logo and wheel details , presenting Halo as a styling-focused extension of the brand's compact EV offering.  A launch event is scheduled for 7:00 pm Beijing Time on July 20 at the Shanghai Botanical Garden, where Firefly ...

NIO began nationwide deliveries of its 5-seat ES8 SUV in China on Friday, as the Chinese EV maker seeks to cement its lead in the premium large SUV market with a more complete product lineup. Nio founder, chairman and CEO William Li, along with co-founder and president Qin Lihong, attended the delivery ceremony and handed over the new vehicles to the first batch of users.  Nio founder, chairman and CEO William Li (second from left) and the company's cofounder and president Qim Lihong (first from right) delivered the five-seat ES8 to the first customers The 5-seat ES8 comes in two trims . The 5-seat Executive Luxury version starts at 382,800 yuan ($56,470) for the full-vehicle purchase, or 274,800 yuan ($40,450) under the BaaS (battery as a service) battery rental plan. The 5-seat Executive Signature version starts at 422,800 yuan ($62,230) for the full-vehicle purchase, or 314,800 yuan ($46,340) under the battery rental plan.  NIO said the first batch of users receiving deliv...

The Chinese brand expands its flagship battery-powered lineup with a roomier cabin layout , lower entry cost, generous luggage capacity and advanced driver-assistance technology  NIO is broadening the appeal of the ES8 with a new five-seat version, designed to make its large electric SUV more versatile and more competitive in the premium segment . The Chinese automaker officially unveiled the model on Thursday, with two trims available and deliveries scheduled to begin on July 10. The Executive Luxury version starts at 382,800 yuan, equivalent to around $56,340, when purchased with the battery included. Under NIO’s BaaS battery-subscription program, the price drops to 274,800 yuan. The higher-spec Executive Signature is priced from 422,800 yuan, or 314,800 yuan with the battery rented separately. That pricing places the five-seat model 24,000 yuan, or 5.9 percent, below the entry price of the third-generation three-row ES8 , which starts at 406,800 yuan. It is a strategic move t...

Xiaomi's electric vehicle (EV) unit Xiaomi EV confirmed on Thursday that Sky Nomad is its second product series rather than the standalone sub-brand rumored earlier, and revealed the exterior and interior space of the lineup's first model for the first time. Xiaomi confirmed that SkyNomad will become its second vehicle lineup after the SU7 and YU7  A side view of the first model in Xiaomi's Sky Nomad series Lei Jun, Xiaomi's founder, chairman and CEO, said that the SU7/YU7 series is a "driver's car," while the Sky Nomad lineup is an "intelligent, transformable large-space SUV." "These are two different answers Xiaomi has delivered to different user needs over its more than five years of carmaking," Lei said.  The new SUV adopts a boxier, more upright silhouette than Xiaomi’s existing models. A flat roofline stretches toward the rear, reinforcing its utility-focused design. The front fascia differs noticeably from the SU7 and YU7. I...

On July 6, NIO Vice President Ma Lin revealed that the average selling price (ASP) of the NIO brand reached 443,000 yuan ($65,250) in June, up 61,000 yuan ($8,985) from May, representing a month-on-month increase of about 16% NIO ES9 On July 6, NIO Vice President Ma Lin revealed that the average selling price (ASP) of the NIO brand jumped to 443,000 yuan ($65,250) in June 2026, up 61,000 yuan ($8,985) from May, representing a month-on-month increase of about 16% and underscoring the Chinese EV maker's pricing power in the premium market.  The increase was primarily driven by stronger deliveries of the brand’s premium models. NIO delivered 21,908 vehicles under its core NIO brand in June, with the ES8 and ES9 emerging as the main contributors to sales. The ES9 , which entered its first full delivery month in June, played a particularly significant role. Priced between 498,000 yuan ($73,350) and 628,000 yuan ($92,500), it is currently NIO’s most expensive mass-produced model and als...

William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of NIO Inc, returned to his alma mater Peking University on Thursday, speaking as an alumni representative at the commencement ceremony for the class of 2026. Li graduated from Peking University's sociology department in 1996 , making this year the 30th anniversary of his graduation.  In his speech, Li said he had encountered six major low points since graduation and chose to share three of them with students, framing each as a lesson in entrepreneurial judgment.  The first lesson: survive the first failure  The first setback came almost immediately after graduation. In April 1996, months before receiving his degree, Li and two classmates founded Nanji Technology , one of China’s early internet virtual-hosting service providers.  When his co-founders later left for further studies overseas, Li was left to keep the company running on his own. He recalled sleeping on a conference table after late-night showers and clearing away...

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...

On June 26 , the Chinese EV maker announces that cumulative deliveries of its flagship ES9 SUV had exceeded 10,000 units within one month of launch, setting a new delivery-speed record for premium battery-electric models priced in the 500,000 yuan ($73,500) segment. NIO founder, chairman and CEO William Li attended the delivery ceremony in person NIO CEO William Li (right) delivers the 10,000th ES9 ti Li Ningchuan, founder of Zhejiang EV-Tech NIO reached the milestone of its 10,000th delivery of the ES9, its new flagship electric SUV, on Friday, underscoring the full-size model's strong market demand since launch. NIO announced this milestone through its official channels, saying that the owner of the 10,000th ES9 is Li Ningchuan, founder, chairman, and general manager of EV parts manufacturer Zhejiang EV-Tech , who also owns another Nio vehicle. Li Ningchuan said at the handover ceremony that he has long been inspired by Li's dedication to technological innovation. "I a...

ONVO is trying to move beyond the perception that it is merely a cheaper NIO , as stronger sales, new models and tighter group integration turn the family-focused EV brand into a key test of NIO’s multi-brand strategy  The updated ONVO L60 SUV Speaking in June 2026, ONVO President Shen Fei pushed back against the market perception that "people only buy ONVO because they can't afford NIO”. He described that perception as an early misunderstanding. ONVO’s buyers, he argued, are not simply trading down from NIO. Many are middle managers with adequate purchasing power who are looking for a car that fits family use, rather than a badge that signals premium status. The distinction matters because ONVO was created to give NIO a route into China’s mainstream family EV market , especially the 200,000 to 300,000 yuan price band. Its first model, the L60, went on sale in September 2024 from 206,900 yuan and quickly showed promise, passing 10,000 deliveries by its third full month on t...

Earlier today, the third-generation large EV SUV officially celebrated delivery of its 120,000th vehicle, marking what can fairly be described as a successful generational update. The milestone comes as the Chinese EV maker prepares to expand the ES8 lineup. The company announced earlier today that the five-seat ES8 will open for pre-orders on June 28  NIO completed the delivery of the 120,000th unit of the third-generation ES8 in Shanghai on Monday , reinforcing the large electric SUV’s role as one of the core models in the company’s commercial strategy. A MILESTONE SUPPORTED BY STRONG DEMAND The delivery took place at NIO’s Nanxiang center in Shanghai’s Jiading district, 275 days after the first delivery of the third-generation ES8. The achievement highlights sustained demand for the model, which appears to be on track once again to exceed 10,000 monthly deliveries after reaching 110,000 units on May 23. According to a statement from NIO, the owner of the 120,000th ES8, Ms. Ye ,...