A Nio ES8 on display at a Nio House in Hefei in January 2026. Credit: CnEVPost
- The third-generation Nio ES8 saw retail sales of 11,472 units in May, topping the sales chart in China’s large SUV market for the sixth consecutive month.
- The Onvo L80, Onvo L90, and Nio ES9 all ranked among the top 10 in large SUV retail sales for May.
Four models from Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) made it into the top 10 list of large SUV (sport utility vehicle) retail sales in China for May 2026, highlighting the EV maker’s strong position in the country’s highly competitive premium auto market.
The third-generation Nio ES8 recorded retail sales of 11,472 units in May, marking the sixth consecutive month it has topped the sales chart in China’s large SUV market, Nio said on Tuesday.
In the premium segment priced above 400,000 yuan ($58,967), the ES8 is the only large SUV model with sales exceeding 10,000 units, the EV maker said.
Since November 2025, the new ES8 has seen retail sales surpass 10,000 units for the seventh consecutive month. The model was launched in September 2025.
Nio ES8 Monthly Retail Sales 2024-2026
Month
2024
2025
2026
January
615
446
17,645
February
414
479
11,260
March
802
514
16,255
April
773
539
13,020
May
937
292
11,472
June
882
839
July
822
1,090
August
857
77
September
766
2,803
October
747
6,703
November
572
10,689
December
1,001
22,258
Nio ES8 monthly retail sales
2024
2025
2026
The list shared today by local automotive media outlets, including Yiche, corroborates the dominance of the ES8 and the broader Nio Inc in China’s large SUV market.
In the top 10 large SUV retail sales rankings, the ES9 from the Nio main brand, as well as the L80 and L90 from its sub-brand Onvo, all made the list.
Among them, the Onvo L80 ranked fourth in the large SUV retail list for May with 5,949 units.
This large five-seater SUV was officially launched on May 15, achieving the retail sales results in just half a month.
Top 10 best-selling large SUV models in China in May 2026
The Onvo L90 ranked seventh in the May large SUV retail list with 4,052 units. Onvo launched the 2026 L90 on April 21, making May its first full month of deliveries.
The ES9, the new flagship model of the Nio main brand, ranked ninth with 3,108 units.
Notably, the ES9 was officially launched on May 27, meaning the 3,108 units represent its deliveries in the last four days of May.
By comparison, other competitors on the list also demonstrated their strength, highlighting the fierce competition in China’s large SUV market.
The Zeekr 9X ranked second with 9,058 units, and the Leapmotor (HKEX: 9863) D19 ranked third with 7,021 units.
The Huawei-backed Aito M8 and Volkswagen’s ID. ERA 9X ranked fifth and sixth with 5,109 and 5,004 units, respectively.
The Huajing S, the first model from the partnership between SAIC-GM-Wuling and Huawei, ranked eighth, while Li Auto’s (NASDAQ: LI) Li L9 ranked tenth with 2,570 units.
Nio’s robust SUV sales performance, particularly the strong sales of the high-priced ES8 and ES9 models, is improving its gross margins.
A Nio Inc executive hinted yesterday that the main brand’s average vehicle transaction price last week had exceeded 450,000 yuan. This price level has surpassed major luxury competitors such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Aito.
To maintain sales momentum, Nio Inc is offering limited-time car purchase benefits for users who order the ES8 before July 31, 2026.
Nio Inc delivered a total of 37,705 vehicles in May, setting its highest single-month record so far this year.
Looking ahead, the company expects its total deliveries for the second quarter to be between 110,000 and 115,000 vehicles.
Based on recent performance and guidance, Nio Inc’s deliveries in June are expected to reach 43,000 to 48,000 units.
Deutsche Bank expects Nio’s second-quarter non-GAAP net profit to reach around 180 million yuan ($26.5 million), benefiting from the strong performance of high-margin SUV models.
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