Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Amid Nio’s annual tech-focused event Nio IN, co-founder and president Lihong Qin said that the electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer does not engage in sales forecasts.
Additionally, the executive reiterated that Nio does not release unaudited weekly sales rankings, and has never authorized any institution to publish weekly rankings under the Nio brand.
Over the last two years, the new energy vehicle (NEV) maker Li Auto has been compiling weekly registrations numbers in China and posting on their social media.
As most of the companies do not communicate any weekly sales or registration numbers, the data became quickly an important source to keep enthusiasts and investors updated on a weekly basis.
Qin stated that such figures have never been approved by Nio, and internally, fewer than ten people are aware of the company’s weekly sales data. “These numbers are not credible, and our brand has not granted any authorization.
If national statistical agencies release data, it’s beyond our control and part of their duties,” Qin remarked. “However, if another company uses our brand to publish weekly rankings without our permission, it’s unacceptable.”
He acknowledged the public’s interest in Nio’s performance and the importance of precise, day-to-day operations but maintained that unauthorized data releases are inappropriate.
Nio CEO William Li added that monthly sales reporting is already stringent, and quarterly reports align better with financial reporting standards, as initially reported by Sina.
On the same day, Li addressed the future of autonomous driving, particularly focusing on Robotaxi as Tesla prepares to unveil its CyberCab on October 10.
Li emphasized that the true value of autonomous driving lies in enhancing safety and freeing up human energy rather than displacing drivers from their jobs.
“The technology for Robotaxi will definitely mature from a technical perspective; I have no doubt about that. If Robotaxi cannot be realized, then there’s no point in talking about artificial intelligence (AI) —it will definitely mature, sooner or later,” he stated.
Li expressed skepticism about the sustainability of Robotaxi as a business model for Nio, pointing out that while the technology will mature, the limited capacity of urban areas to accommodate operational vehicles restricts the potential for large-scale commercial success.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
