- Nio's CEO said the ES9 SUV could make people forget about MPVs, prompting a push-back from the Buick brand.
- Buick defends its 27-year MPV manufacturing history and invites William Li to its upcoming Century MPV launch.
Nio Inc's new flagship sport utility vehicle (SUV), the ES9, is making a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) leader feel threatened and attempt to defend its legacy.
William Li, founder, chairman and CEO of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, said at the ES9 technology launch event on April 9 that the SUV has massive interior space and ride comfort, and people can now forget about MPVs.
This aggressive marketing rhetoric quickly caught the attention of traditional automakers, leaving General Motors' Buick brand displeased.
Buick responded directly to Nio in a Weibo post published on Wednesday, saying that the MPV is not a category that needs to be replaced; rather, it is a mobility choice that needs to be deeply understood.
"Recently someone told you to 'forget MPVs.' We suggest one thing — give it a try," Buick wrote.
Buick said that its goal is not just to fit a whole family, but to ensure the entire family can sit comfortably inside the vehicle.
The traditional automaker noted that Buick has a 27-year history of manufacturing MPVs, with a product lineup ranging from the GL8 to the Century, as well as the electric Electra Encasa.
Buick said on Weibo that some experiences, once tried, cannot be forgotten. Therefore, it advised consumers to take a test drive first before deciding whether to forget them.
Meanwhile, Buick issued a public invitation to Nio's Li. The brand welcomed William Li to attend the launch event of Buick's new Century on April 28 and sit in it himself.
Nio's ES9 is the largest SUV model in China to date. It measures 5,365 mm in length, 2,029 mm in width, and 1,870 mm in height, with a wheelbase reaching 3,250 mm.
In comparison, the Buick Century is slightly smaller in size. Its length, width, and height are 5,230 mm, 1,980 mm, and 1,867 mm, respectively, with a wheelbase of 3,130 mm.
The Nio ES9 is currently offering three variants in pre-sales, all of which are six-seat models. The starting price, including the battery pack, is 528,000 yuan ($77,450).
The pricing range of the Buick Century overlaps with that of the ES9. The starting price range for the traditional MPV is between 469,900 yuan and 689,900 yuan.
Nio's management said the massive interior space of the ES9 is the reason why Nio is not making an MPV. The company mentioned plans to launch an MPV on the NT 3.0 platform a few years ago, but now appears to have abandoned them.
The MPV has always been a relatively niche market in China. For the full year of 2025, MPV retail sales in China stood at 1.06 million units, down 2.3% year-on-year, according to data from China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
In contrast, SUV models are more popular in the Chinese market. Retail sales of SUVs reached 11.88 million units for the full year of 2025, an increase of 5.0% year-on-year.
($1 = 6.8174 yuan)
