- Nio filed to add two-tone paint and more styles of premium wheels to ET9 to highlight its premium status.
- The ET9 delivered 307 units in June, bringing the total deliveries to 1,888 units.
Nio (NYSE: NIO) is set to introduce more premium exterior options for its executive flagship sedan, the ET9, to appeal to a broader affluent audience.
The electric vehicle (EV) maker has filed to add two-tone body paint, additional premium wheel designs, and different rear badges for the ET9, according to a document on the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's website.
The new body color combinations give the ET9 a premium feel similar to Mercedes-Maybach models, particularly the Maybach GLS and Maybach S-Class. The premium wheel options also resemble those of Mercedes-Maybach.
Such combinations have appeared mainly on Maybach models in recent years, and it's nearly impossible for domestic Chinese automakers to compete in the luxury executive sedan market.
Maextro, the new automotive brand jointly developed by Huawei and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Group (JAC), also adopted a two-tone body paint and wheels similar to Maybach for its S800 luxury sedan launched on May 30.
The ET9 was officially launched at Nio Day 2024 on December 21, 2024, with a starting price of RMB 788,000 ($107,220) including the battery pack, which is 2.3 times the RMB 338,000 starting price of Nio's main-seller ES6 SUV (sport utility vehicle).
The sedan offered 999 limited-edition cars initially, which have already sold out. Currently available versions include the standard model, starting at RMB 788,000, and a signature edition, starting at RMB 808,000.
Nio also filed for new rear badges for the ET9 today, hinting at a potential Horizon variant.
The ET9 incorporates many of Nio's latest technologies, including its in-house developed Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip and SkyRide chassis.
The ET9 began official deliveries on March 29, with the first owner being Paul Fang, chairman and CEO of Midea Group, a Chinese home appliance giant headquartered in Foshan, Guangdong province.
Over the past few months, Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li has been personally promoting the model to entrepreneurs.
To date, Robin Zeng, founder, chairman, and CEO of CATL (SHE: 300750); He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV); Richard Liu, founder of JD.com; and Holger Klein, CEO of ZF Group, have become owners of the ET9 or have placed orders for the model.
The ET9 delivered 307 units in June, bringing the total deliveries to 1,888 units, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
($1 = RMB 7.1820)
