- A Nio executive teased the upcoming milestone, implying March deliveries of the ES8 approached 20,000 units.
- Nio plans to launch a five-seat version of the third-generation ES8 in early July to sustain the large SUV's sales momentum.
Nio Inc will reach the 90,000th delivery of its third-generation ES8 this week, underscoring the sustained sales momentum of the premium electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) following the Chinese New Year holiday in late February.
Yang Bo, Nio's head of user operations, teased the upcoming milestone in a Weibo post on Tuesday. The company just delivered its 80,000th third-generation ES8 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on March 20.
The latest progress implies Nio delivered nearly 20,000 third-generation ES8s in March. The model had just crossed the 70,000-delivery mark on February 27.
The company and its major competitors will release their March vehicle delivery figures on Wednesday.
In its earnings report released on March 10, Nio projected that vehicle deliveries for the first quarter of 2026 would range between 80,000 and 83,000 units. This implies that March deliveries are expected to reach between 32,021 and 35,021 vehicles, more than double the 15,039 units delivered during the same period last year.
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, available in six- and seven-seat configurations, starts at 406,800 yuan ($58,870) including the battery pack. It is one of the most expensive models offered by a domestic Chinese automakers.
The model is a rare standout in Nio's lineup that has sustained robust sales for months following its launch. Its commercial success has been a key driver in Nio's recent historic financial turnaround.
The company reported a GAAP operating profit of 807.3 million yuan for the fourth quarter of 2025, marking its first-ever quarterly profit.
To maintain the ES8's sales momentum, the company rolled out a series of promotional measures in March, including a limited-time 10,000-yuan purchase tax subsidy for new ES8 buyers.
The company also introduced a new Nebula Red exterior paint option to attract more buyers.
Nio plans to launch a five-seat version of the third-generation ES8 in early July to extend the large SUV's sales performance.
While boosting near-term sales, the company is preparing to launch its new flagship SUV, the ES9, in the second quarter, with a technology event scheduled for April 9.
The official market launch of the ES9 will take place in May, with deliveries slated to begin on June 1.
($1 = 6.9099 yuan)
