Nio launched a new special edition theme for its flagship executive sedan, the ET9, on June 21, 2026. Credit: Nio
- Nio added a new theme to the ET9 Horizon Edition, with a starting price of 838,000 yuan ($124,000) including the battery pack.
- Nio is continuing its strategy of using special editions to boost the market performance of its halo model.
Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) has launched a new special-edition theme for its flagship executive sedan, the ET9, continuing its strategy of using limited models to draw market attention.
The new theme, translated as “Pursuing Light at the Extremes,” is part of the ET9 Horizon Edition lineup. The company said its design draws inspiration from the interplay of polar day and polar night, with global sales limited to 99 units.
The ET9 with the new theme starts at 838,000 yuan ($124,000) including the battery pack. If consumers choose the BaaS (battery as a service) battery rental plan, the starting price drops to 730,000 yuan.
Notably, this pricing is higher than that of several previously launched ET9 special editions. Over the past few months, special-edition themes of the ET9 Horizon Edition have consistently started at 818,000 yuan, with the BaaS plan at 710,000 yuan.
This is the latest of multiple ET9 special editions Nio has launched over the past year. The company appears to be hoping that such a limited-edition strategy can boost the market performance of its halo model.
The ET9 was initially launched on December 21, 2024, at Nio Day 2024, with deliveries beginning in late March 2025.
It is one of the most expensive models from a local Chinese carmaker, aiming to challenge traditional luxury models including the Mercedes-Benz Maybach.
In September 2025, Nio launched the ET9 Horizon Edition at the Nio Day 2025 event, bringing a two-tone paint design along with some exclusive features.
Since then, the company has repeatedly added new content to the model. Last November, it introduced two new color options, red-gold and black-silver.
In January this year, it launched a commemorative version limited to just 9 units, marking Nio Inc’s milestone of one million vehicles produced.
In March this year, Nio rolled out two more themes, drawing design inspiration from the Heidu Mountain in China’s Qinghai and Australia’s Great Ocean Road respectively, each limited to 199 units.
This practice of intensively rolling out special editions has become a business strategy that Nio and its sub-brands have used repeatedly over the past year.
Despite the frequent marketing moves, the ET9’s sales performance remains weak. The flagship model set a delivery record of 810 units in April 2025, its first full month of deliveries.
Sales declined significantly after that. In May this year, the ET9 delivered 155 units, up 21% from the previous month, but still down more than 77% year-on-year.
As of the end of May, the model’s cumulative deliveries since deliveries began in March 2025 reached 3,077 units, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Nio ET9 Monthly Deliveries 2025-2026
Month
2025
2026
January
59
February
64
March
89
72
April
810
128
May
682
155
June
307
July
85
August
92
September
90
October
127
November
118
December
198
Nio ET9 monthly deliveries
2025
2026
The ET9 is equipped with Nio’s in-house developed Shenji NX9031 self-driving chip based on a 5-nanometer process, a concentrated demonstration of the company’s technological capabilities.
It also features the SkyRide intelligent chassis system, which Nio calls the world’s first integrated hydraulic fully active suspension, capable of transient adjustment of stiffness, damping and height.
China’s ultra-high-end sedan market has long been dominated by German luxury brands. In addition to Nio, the Maextro S800, a collaboration between Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group Corp (JAC), as well as the U7 from BYD’s (HKEX: 1211) Yangwang brand, are also trying to grab a share.
The Champion Edition versions of the 2026 ET5, ET5 Touring and EC6 will begin deliveries on June 20.
($1 = 6.7582 yuan)
