One possibility is that Nio may price the new ES6 at under RMB 368,000 and attribute the decision to the calls of its community.
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Nio (NYSE: NIO) is asking its community in China for advice on the pricing of the new ES6, as the SUV gets closer to its official launch.
Many Nio App users have received a push message from Nio containing a questionnaire asking them to vote on what they think is a fair price for the new ES6, according to information shared by several auto bloggers on Weibo today.
Nio offered six options in the questionnaire: below RMB 368,000 ($53,020), RMB 368,000, RMB 378,000, RMB 388,000, RMB 398,000, and above RMB 398,000.
The all-new ES6 will be launched soon, and the model has received a lot of attention since its unveiling at the Shanghai auto show, Nio wrote in the questionnaire.
"Before we officially release the price, we would like to hear from our user friends about the price of the new ES6," Nio said.
The questionnaire is due by 18:00 Beijing time on May 13.
William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of Nio, launched the 2023 ET7 sedan and gave the debut of a revamped version of the ES6 SUV based on the NT 2.0 platform at a brief launch event on the first day of the Shanghai auto show on April 18.
Li did not announce the new ES6's exact specifications or pricing at the time, saying only that the model's official launch would be in late May.
For reference, the older ES6 based on the NT 1.0 platform was previously offered in three versions -- Sport, Performance and Signature -- with starting prices of RMB 386,000, 426,000 and 496,000 respectively.
For Nio, the new ES6 will be a model of strategic importance, as it will be the least expensive of Nio's SUVs. The company's latest move underscores the high hopes it has for the model's sales prospects.
From January to August 2022, 32,877 units of the ES6 were delivered, contributing 46 percent of Nio's total deliveries of 71,556 units for the period, according to figures monitored by CnEVPost from the company and the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
It's worth noting that soliciting input for the pricing of new models is a rarity in the Chinese auto industry. For rational consumers, no one wants to see a high price for a product they want to buy.
Nio may have its own considerations with this move, and CnEVPost's speculation is that the company may price the new ES6 below RMB 368,000 and attribute the decision to the calls from its community.
The new ES6 is now generally seen as coming with strong features and competitive pricing, which have already sparked discontent among some owners who previously bought the ES7 SUV.
Last month, many ES7 owners formed WeChat groups to collectively express their discontent that the upcoming new ES6 means Nio has betrayed them.
Nio has yet to announce a launch date for the new ES6, although rumors last week suggested that the model would be officially launched on May 24.
($1 = RMB 6.9404)
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