- The Nio ES8 also topped December sales among models priced above RMB 400,000 ($57,330) in China.
- The golden age of pure-electric large three-row SUVs is arriving, Nio said.
Nio Inc's (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866) third-generation ES8 SUV (sport utility vehicle) achieved strong deliveries in the final month of 2025, propelling it to become China's best-selling large SUV.
In December, the new ES8 delivered 22,258 retail units, making it the top-selling large SUV in China, Nio announced today on Weibo.
Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li emphasized on Weibo that the ES8 leads China's large SUV sales across all powertrain types and price segments.
The model also topped December sales for large three-row SUVs and for vehicles priced above RMB 400,000 ($57,330), according to Nio.
The all-new ES8 has become the latest trend indicator for large three-row SUVs in China's auto market, with the golden age of pure-electric large three-row SUVs now arriving, Nio said.
Nio officially launched the third-generation ES8 at Nio Day 2025 on September 20, 2025, with deliveries commencing the following day on September 21.
The three-row electric SUV offers six- and seven-seat configurations, with a starting price of RMB 406,800 ($57,770) including the battery pack. It ranks among Nio's most expensive models and is also one of the highest-priced vehicles from a domestic Chinese automaker.
The all-new ES8 reached its 40,000th delivery on December 29, fulfilling Nio's 2025 production target for the model.
The electric SUV's December deliveries, or wholesale sales, totaled 22,276 units, accounting for 46.28% of Nio Inc's monthly deliveries, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Within China's overall passenger vehicle market, the Model Y remained the top-selling model by wholesale volume, as Tesla's (NASDAQ: TSLA) SUV maintained robust Chinese deliveries through year-end.
The Model Y recorded wholesale sales of 66,189 units in December, followed by the BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) Song with 66,189 units and the BYD Seagull with 44,627 units.
| Ranking | Model | Wholesale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 66,189 |
| 2 | BYD Song | 55,107 |
| 3 | BYD Seagull | 44,627 |
| 4 | Geely Xingyuan | 41,619 |
| 5 | Xiaomi YU7 | 39,089 |
| 6 | BYD Qin | 37,252 |
| 7 | Fang Cheng Bao Tai 7 | 34,088 |
| 8 | BYD Sealion 06 | 32,168 |
| 9 | Chery Explore 06 | 31,277 |
| 10 | Tesla Model 3 | 30,982 |
| 11 | AITO M7 | 28,877 |
| 12 | Honda Accord | 28,676 |
| 13 | BYD Yuan Up | 27,129 |
| 14 | Wuling Binguo | 25,652 |
| 15 | Honda CR-V | 25,140 |
| 16 | BYD Dolphin | 24,417 |
| 17 | BYD Seal 06 | 24,055 |
| 18 | BYD Qin L | 23,415 |
| 19 | Nissan Sylphy | 23,221 |
| 20 | Chery Tiggo 8 | 22,896 |
| 21 | Nio ES8 | 22,276 |
| 22 | Toyota Corolla Cross | 22,223 |
| 23 | Volkswagen Tiguan | 21,591 |
| 24 | Toyota Camry | 21,455 |
| 25 | Chery Tiggo 7 | 20,995 |
| 26 | Geely Boyue | 20,821 |
| 27 | Volkswagen Magotan | 20,361 |
($1 = RMB 6.9774)
