- Multiple images circulating on Chinese social media platforms have revealed what appears to be the Nio ES9 for the first time, showing it is larger than the ES8.
- The Nio main brand will launch the ES9 and the all-new ES7 large SUVs in 2026.
Multiple images circulating on Chinese social media platforms today have revealed what appears to be Nio Inc's (NYSE: NIO) ES9 for the first time, as the SUV (sport utility vehicle) is set to debut next year.
Images shared by multiple automotive bloggers on Weibo show a camouflaged vehicle parked alongside a new ES8 SUV, revealing its larger dimensions.
This is Nio's new flagship SUV, the ES9, one size larger than the ES8, wrote automotive blogger @二一加点电.
Images shared by the blogger reveal that beyond its larger dimensions, the new model maintains design consistency with existing Nio vehicles.
Separately, according to another automotive blogger @万万_ECC, the ES9 carries the internal codename Draco and is larger than the third-generation ES8, codenamed Cetus.
The previous-generation ES8, based on the NT 2.0 platform, was codenamed Aries, per the blogger.
Nio will host Nio Day 2025 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang on September 20, where the third-generation ES8 will be officially launched.
The company began pre-sales for the new ES8 on August 21, with a starting price of RMB 416,800 ($58,500) including the battery pack.
The third-generation ES8 measures 5,280 mm in length, 2,010 mm in width, and 1,800 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,250 mm. Its predecessor measured 5,099 mm in length, 1,989 mm in width, and 1,750 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,070 mm.
The ES9's larger dimensions position it to become one of the largest SUVs in the Chinese market. The inclusion of the number 9 in its name suggests the SUV will likely adopt the same technologies as the ET9 flagship sedan, such as the SkyRide intelligent chassis system.
Rumors about the ES9 first surfaced in April this year, when some automotive bloggers claimed the SUV would be built on the NT 3.0 platform and could exceed 5.2 meters in length.
In late May, Nio co-founder and president Qin Lihong mentioned during a user communication event that the company would launch its flagship SUV, the ES9, in the first half of 2026. This marked the first time its management had publicly referenced the model.
In addition to the Onvo L80, the Nio main brand would launch two large SUVs next year: the ES9 and a new ES7 five-seat SUV, Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li said during a September 2 earnings call.
Nio's sub-brand Onvo had originally planned to launch the L80 five-seat SUV in the fourth quarter this year, but the release was delayed due to production constraints for the L90 six-seat SUV.
($1 = RMB 7.1246)
