Credit: Nio
- Nio confirmed eight cities have entered the bidding process to compete for the right to host its annual event.
- The company has revived its user voting mechanism this year, returning the choice to its community.
Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) has announced the list of bidding cities for Nio Day 2026, with eight cities signing up to compete for this year’s hosting rights.
The company said applications to host the event closed at 10 pm on June 27. The final list of registered cities was confirmed after the organizing committee completed preliminary venue checks.
The eight cities are Changchun, Chongqing, Harbin, Jinan, Nanjing, Qingdao, Wuhan and Xiamen.
Changchun is the capital of Jilin province in northeastern China. Chongqing is one of China’s directly administered municipalities in the southwest.
Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang province, also in the northeast. Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in eastern China.
Nanjing is the capital of Jiangsu province and a major city in the Yangtze River Delta. Qingdao is a coastal city in Shandong province.
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province in central China. Xiamen is a coastal city in Fujian province in southeastern China.
Nio said the city bidding process aims to help more people learn about the charm and cultural heritage of each city.
This is the sixth year Nio has determined the Nio Day location through a bidding process. The mechanism has continued for years since 2020.
Last year, however, was an exception. Nio selected Hangzhou in Zhejiang province directly in 2025, without a user vote.
Nio Day 2025 was held in Hangzhou on September 20 last year, also the first time the event moved from the year-end to the autumn.
That shift was partly driven by cost considerations, while also seeking to tap into the peak sales season in the fourth quarter.
This year, Nio has once again returned the choice to its user community, marking a return to its tradition of user co-creation.
Under the bidding process, the organizing committee will conduct a comprehensive review of the application materials on July 4 and nominate three candidate cities.
The three cities will be showcased through channels including the Nio App from July 14 to 17. The final result will be decided by a user vote.
Each user can cast a vote from July 17 to 18 using Nio Points.
Nio Day is the company’s most important annual event. Since its debut in 2017, each edition has been accompanied by significant product and technology launches.
Last year’s event served as the official launch stage for the third-generation ES8 SUV (sport utility vehicle), a model that has now become key to Nio’s earnings turnaround.
The third-generation ES8 starts at 406,800 yuan ($59,840), and this high-margin model is driving improvements in the company’s finances.
Nio opened city bidding for Nio Day 2026, with the final host city to be decided by user vote.
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