- To break through industry headwinds, Nio plans to concentrate resources in the second quarter to ensure the smooth launch of the Nio ES9 and Onvo L80.
- Driven by the ES9 and Onvo L80, Nio's deliveries are expected to grow steadily in May and June, William Li said.
Nio founder, chairman and CEO William Li said that the company, like the whole industry, faces significant external pressure in the second quarter, making the Nio ES9 and Onvo L80 key to navigating the challenges.
The two upcoming strategic new models are viewed by Nio's management as core drivers for boosting deliveries and maintaining the company's profitability trend.
During an internal meeting on April 16, Li told employees that Nio delivered 83,465 new vehicles in the first quarter, achieving a 98.3% year-on-year increase.
Because higher-priced models accounted for a larger share of the sales mix, the company's first-quarter revenue growth is expected to significantly outpace its delivery growth, Li said, according to a Friday report by local media outlet LatePost.
Despite a strong start in the first quarter, Li noted that the macroeconomic environment in the second quarter remains severe, with the broader auto industry facing continuous sales pressure.
Overall sales of passenger cars and new energy vehicles (NEVs) both declined in the first quarter, and the industry as a whole has continued to show a year-on-year downward trend since April, Li said, citing data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
To break through the industry headwinds, Nio plans to concentrate its most advantageous resources in the second quarter to ensure the smooth launch and delivery of the Nio ES9 and Onvo L80 electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) models.
Li expects that as the new-model effect of these two high-margin large SUVs kicks in, Nio's deliveries will see a steady increase in May and June.
Nio began pre-sales for the ES9 on April 9, with the official launch set for late May and deliveries starting on June 1.
The specific launch date for the Onvo L80 has not yet been announced, though Nio said earlier this month that it is coming soon.
Early market feedback for the Nio ES9 has already exceeded internal expectations, Li told employees, noting that the model has attracted a large number of non-Nio brand users.
Specifically, the volume of ES9 orders from non-Nio users is more than 1.5 times that of the ES8 during the same period, Li said.
Meanwhile, Onvo plans to roll out three products in the second quarter, including the all-new L80, as well as facelifted versions of the existing L90 and L60 models.
Li believes the Onvo L80 will trigger a revolutionary effect in the large five-seater SUV market and is expected to drive sales of the Onvo L90 and L60, thereby reversing the brand's sales curve.
Beyond vehicle sales, Nio is also strengthening its operational focus on non-vehicle businesses, which generated 10 billion yuan ($1.47 billion) in revenue last year.
As the vehicle fleet continues to grow, profits from non-vehicle businesses are expected to increase further, with room to extract 500 million yuan in profit from the 10 billion yuan revenue, Li said.
Nio historically turned a profit in a single quarter in the fourth quarter of 2025, but Li stressed that the company's purpose for existence is not for a single quarter of profitability.
Nio needs to strive to complete its operational goals with high quality every quarter, hedging against the pressure of rising raw material prices through refined operations to create long-term value for shareholders, Li told employees.
To achieve the 2026 full-year profitability target, Li urged all employees not to slack off in the second quarter, emphasizing the need to refine product operations and improve the accuracy of demand forecasting.
If Nio can successfully navigate the challenges of new model launches and vehicle transitions, the company will be in a more advantageous market position in the third and fourth quarters, Li said.
($1 = 6.8224 yuan)
