A Nio ES9 on display at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2026. Image credit: CnEVPost
- Nio will officially launch its executive flagship SUV ES9 on May 27, with an event starting at 7:30 pm Beijing Time.
- Nio has already produced a batch of ES9 vehicles, and its stores are ready for quick deliveries.
Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) will officially launch its new executive flagship SUV (sport utility vehicle) ES9 on May 27, with a launch event starting at 7:30 pm Beijing Time.
The Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker mentioned the date earlier this month, but did not specify the start time of the launch event.
Nio will livestream the launch event across platforms including its official website, mobile app, and its social media accounts on Weibo and WeChat.
Consumers can lock in their ES9 orders after the event. A limited-time exclusive perk, which allows a 5,000 yuan ($740) deposit to offset 10,000 yuan of the vehicle’s purchase price, will close once the order lock-in begins.
Images circulating on Chinese social media platforms in recent days show that Nio has already produced a batch of ES9s, and its showrooms are prepared for quick deliveries.
(ES9 vehicles awaiting delivery at a Nio delivery center.)
(ES9 vehicles at a Nio factory.)
Nio mentioned on May 6 that it would officially launch the ES9 on May 27, with deliveries starting simultaneously. This is slightly earlier than the June 1 date previously mentioned by the company’s management.
This highlights the importance Nio attaches to the new model, which the company calls the culmination of 11 years of systemic innovation.
Nio began pre-sales of the ES9 on April 9, with a starting pre-sales price of 528,000 yuan for the whole vehicle including the battery pack.
As is customary in the Chinese market, the final price of a new car upon its official launch is typically lower than its pre-sales price.
The company is trying to replicate the success of the ES8 in the higher-end market. The pure electric SUV is a rarity in the Chinese market for maintaining strong sales more than half a year after its launch.
The ES9 is priced significantly lower than the ET9 sedan, which is equipped with similar technology, in an attempt to attach a value-for-money label to the high-priced model.
Against the backdrop of a tough macroeconomic environment and sales pressure in the auto industry in the second quarter, the ES9 is seen as one of the core drivers to tackle the challenges.
Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li expressed optimism about the new model during an internal meeting in April.
He expects the company’s deliveries to grow steadily in May and June, driven by the ES9 and the sub-brand model Onvo L80, which was already launched on May 15.
Early market feedback for the ES9 has exceeded Nio’s internal expectations. Li previously told employees that the model had attracted a large number of non-Nio brand users, and its early pre-orders were more than 1.5 times those of the ES8 during the same period.
Similar to the ET9, the ES9 is equipped with Nio’s latest generation of core research and development achievements. This includes the in-house developed 5-nanometer Shenji NX9031 driver assistance chip and the SkyOS vehicle operating system.
To build momentum for the new car’s launch, Nio initiated a challenge earlier this month for the ES9 to complete 10,000 kilometers in the shortest possible time.
The ES9 challenge vehicle drove 10,000 kilometers continuously in 94 hours, 19 minutes, and 11 seconds, breaking the pure electric vehicle record previously set by the Onvo L60.
The challenge relied on Nio’s battery swap network spread across Chinese highways, aiming to verify its long-distance travel capabilities.
The ES9’s massive interior space and ride comfort have also previously drawn widespread market attention.
Li previously said that the model could make people forget about the MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), which even triggered a public rebuttal from General Motors’ Buick brand, a traditional MPV maker.
Nio reported an adjusted operating profit (non-GAAP) of RMB 66.8 million ($9.7 million) for the first quarter of 2026.
($1 = 6.7981 yuan)
