William Li, founder, chairman, and CEO of Nio, held a face-to-face meeting with local owners in Europe. Credit: Nio
- Nio confirmed Onvo will enter international markets, with a European debut currently expected in 2028-2029.
- Nio will continue combining direct operations in selected markets with local distributor partnerships, stressing that operational changes do not mean an exit from Europe.
Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) founder, chairman and CEO William Li is visiting Europe again this week, reaffirming the company’s long-term commitment to the region as it reshapes its local operating approach.
This marks Li’s first visit to Europe since November 2025. Nio is shifting from its initial focus on direct operations toward greater reliance on local distributors to build a more sustainable business.
Li will meet users, international business partners and European employees during the trip, incorporating local feedback into the company’s strategic planning for Europe, Nio said in a Tuesday media briefing.
“Nio was built as a User Enterprise, and that remains one of our greatest strengths. Our users tell us very directly what works, what is missing and what they expect from us — something I experienced again in my conversations here in Europe,” Li said.
The company said changes to its European operating model do not represent an exit from the region. It will continue operating directly in selected markets while working with local distributors.
William Li in a face-to-face meeting with local owners in Europe:
Over the past year, Nio has begun reshaping its European organization, physical footprint and operating model. The company said these measures aim to improve competitiveness while prioritizing support for existing users.
“We continue to believe strongly in Europe’s long-term potential. We will continue to develop as a global smart EV company and remain committed to our User Enterprise approach. That is why we will take our next steps in Europe deliberately — with the necessary discipline and at a pace that enables sustainable growth, rather than pursuing expansion for its own sake,” Li said.
Nio pledged to continue providing after-sales service, warranty coverage, parts and connected services in line with its vehicle lifecycle commitments, while improving the ownership experience based on feedback from users in individual markets.
The statement builds on Nio’s earlier commitments to European users. In May, company executives held a face-to-face meeting with users in the Netherlands to address concerns including delayed software updates and after-sales service.
Nio said its international business may develop at a different pace from originally anticipated, but its long-term ambitions remain unchanged.
The company will prioritize the right products, market fit and business model over the speed of expansion, Nio said.
On products, Nio confirmed that its family-oriented EV brand Onvo will enter international markets, with a European debut currently expected in 2028–2029.
The company sees Onvo as well positioned to serve Europe’s sizable mainstream family-car market. The briefing provided a clearer timeline than its comments in May, when it was still evaluating opportunities in Europe.
“Building on our experience in China, the world’s most competitive automotive market, we are developing Onvo products with the cost competitiveness required to compete in markets around the world. This provides an important foundation for our continued global expansion,” Li said.
Nio will also continue assessing European opportunities for the Nio and Firefly brands. Its future brand and product portfolio will develop gradually in line with actual market needs, with specific plans to be announced when ready.
Feedback from European users, partners and local teams will be incorporated earlier into product definition and business decisions. The company said product-market fit and a sustainable business case will be central to its future international development.
CnEVPost exclusively reported in March that Nio was considering shifting its operations in Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden to a distributor model, while potentially retaining direct operations in Norway.
Distributor partnerships have already helped Nio enter more European markets. In June, its first Nio House in Greece opened in Athens, developed jointly with local partner Motodynamics.
During the European trip, Li also delivered a keynote speech at World Trade and Tech Day at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva on September 14, local time.
In his speech, Li called for greater consistency in testing methods across markets and mutual recognition of test results to reduce the cost of deploying technologies such as smart driving overseas.
Automakers need to consider global regulatory compliance and local requirements early in product development, allowing innovation to cross market boundaries without compromising safety, he said.
If technologies such as smart driving become trustworthy and widely adopted, they could improve everyday mobility for billions of people, with a potential impact extending far beyond the car itself, Li said.
Nio is preparing a major restructuring of its European operations, with its remaining direct-sales markets likely transitioning to a more asset-light model, CnEVPost has learned.
