Chen Chen, head of European business development, and general managers of European country companies began reporting to co-founder and president Qin Lihong.

(File photo shows Nio co-founder and president Qin Lihong (left) at a media event with William Li, the company's co-founder, chairman and CEO.)

Nio (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866, SGX: Nio) is shaking up its management structure, showing that the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker is increasing its efforts to expand in European markets.

The company today issued an internal announcement on an organizational restructuring that reorganizes the management of its European business, according to Sina Tech.

Chen Chen, head of European business development, and general managers of European country companies began reporting to Nio co-founder and president Qin Lihong, according to the report.

The former Global Business Development Department, a first-tier unit, was renamed European Business Development Department, still headed by Chen, who reports to Qin.

The department will have a new secondary department, European User Operations and European User Development, headed by Chen, who previously reported to Steven Feng, Nio's chief financial officer.

Nio's internal team recognizes Feng's previous work in leading the team's initial development of European business, and the latest announcement also evaluates him with "outstanding contribution," according to the report.

Nio announced its official entry into Norway on May 6 last year, marking its first stop overseas.

The company's first model offered in Norway is the ES8 SUV, and its flagship sedan, the ET7, is also expected to be available in the country this year.

Nio officially launches the ES8 in Norway on September 30, 2021, and its first local Nio House, located at Karl Joans Gate 33 in downtown Oslo, was open for business from October 1.

At the Nio Day 2021 event on December 18, William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, said the company will enter Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark in 2022.

Nio opened its first local Nio Service Center in Norway on May 12 and delivered its 500th vehicle in the country at a ceremony.

Nio reaches 500 total deliveries in Norway-CnEVPost

(Image credit: Nio)

The company plans to open its second Nio House in Norway, with a total area of 312 square meters, according to an article in the Norwegian version of the Nio app posted on May 25.

"Nio is a premium car brand and will create a premium user experience. We are pleased to have found premises that reflect this in Strandgata 15 and are convinced that the users will be rejuvenated," said Marius Hayler, CEO of Nio Norway, in the article.

The new Nio House is expected to open in the third quarter, exactly one year after the opening of Nio's first facility in Norway.