On June 26, NIO announced that cumulative deliveries of its flagship ES9 SUV had exceeded 10,000 units within one month of launch, setting a new delivery-speed record for premium battery-electric models priced in the RMB 500,000 ($73,630) segment. For comparison, the redesigned ES8 took 41 days to reach the 10,000-delivery milestone, while the ES9 achieved the same result in less than one month. NIO ES9’s 10,000th delivery ceremony The ES9 was officially launched on May 27, with deliveries beginning immediately. The SUV starts at RMB 498,000 ($73,336) under NIO’s standard vehicle purchase plan, while the starting price falls to RMB 390,000 ($57,431) under the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) subscription model. The vehicle’s debut was well received by investors. NIO’s U.S.-listed shares surged 9.32% on the launch day despite broader market weakness, while its Hong Kong-listed shares gained more than 7%, reflecting strong expectations for the new model. Earlier third-party data showed that within the first 72 hours after launch, the flagship Executive Signature Edition accounted for 75% of orders, while more than 95% of buyers opted for the BaaS purchase plan. NIO ES9’s 10,000th delivery ceremony According to the latest information on NIO’s official website, delivery lead times for some high-spec ES9 variants have extended to 16-17 weeks, while deliveries of the six-seat aisle configuration are scheduled to begin in mid-July. Unlike some previous product launches that resulted in internal model cannibalization, the ES9 has not significantly affected demand for the ES8. The two SUVs occupy distinct market positions. The ES8 targets the RMB 400,000 ($58,904)-class premium SUV segment. Meanwhile, the ES9 is aimed at buyers in the luxury full-size SUV market priced above RMB 500,000 ($73,630). Together, they form NIO’s premium SUV lineup. NIO founder, chairman and CEO William Li previously said the ES9 has become one of the highest gross-margin contributors within the company’s SUV portfolio. NIO CEO William Li speaks at ES9’s 10,000th delivery ceremony With a growing share of high-end variants and the continued use of the BaaS model to lower the purchase threshold, the ES9 is expected to make an increasingly meaningful contribution to NIO’s overall profitability. In fact, Nio’s operating performance has already shown signs of improvement this year. In the first quarter of 2026, the company reported a 112.16% year-on-year increase in revenue, while vehicle gross margin reached 18.8%. Nio also delivered its second consecutive quarter of Non-GAAP profitability. Sales continued to strengthen. NIO delivered 37,705 vehicles in May, up 62.3% year-on-year and 28.4% from April. Deliveries under the NIO sub-brand totaled 20,013 units, representing a 50.8% year-on-year increase. Meanwhile, the company’s charging and battery-swapping network continues to expand. On June 23, Nio announced the opening of its 9,000th charging and battery-swapping station in Ankang, Shaanxi Province. As of today, NIO operates 9,019 charging and battery-swapping stations nationwide, including 3,934 battery swap stations, 5,085 charging stations and 29,285 charging piles.
