Nio‘s flagship ET9 sedan saw deliveries rebound 68% in December to 198 units, its best month since May, while the cheaper ET7 collapsed to just 78 units — a 91% year-over-year decline.
The diverging trends show the challenges facing Nio‘s sedan lineup, which has struggled to gain traction despite multiple special edition launches over the last twelve months.
The ET9 delivered 198 units in December, up from 118 in November and marking the model’s strongest month since May’s 682 units.
The data was released on Friday by the China Passenger Car Association.
However, the rebound comes after months of weak performance.
Following an initial surge of 810 units in April — its first full month of sales after launching in late March — deliveries declined steadily through the summer, bottoming out at 85 units in July.
Monthly ET9 deliveries in 2025: March 89, April 810, May 682, June 307, July 85, August 92, September 90, October 127, November 118, December 198.
Total ET9 deliveries for 2025 reached approximately 2,598 units, representing just 1.5% of the Nio brand’s 178,806 total deliveries for the year.
Special Editions Failed to Boost Demand
The December improvement came despite, rather than because of, Nio’s efforts to stimulate demand through limited editions.
The company launched the Horizon Edition in September, adding a dual-tone body design and pricing it from 818,000 yuan ($115,700) with battery or 710,000 yuan ($100,400) under the battery-as-a-service plan.
In November, Nio unveiled two additional color themes — “First Light” and “Sunlit Peak” — at the Guangzhou Auto Show.
Earlier this week, Nio announced a nine-unit “One-Millionth Vehicle Commemorative Limited Edition” priced from 710,000 yuan under BaaS.
ET7 Collapse
The ET7, Nio‘s entry-level sedan unveiled in early 2021 and launched in 2022, experienced a far steeper decline throughout 2025.
December deliveries of 78 units marked a 91% year-over-year drop and continued a pattern of deterioration that accelerated in the second half.
The model averaged just 86 units per month in the final quarter, down from 347 units per month in the first half.
Monthly ET7 deliveries in 2025: January 239, February 261, March 347, April 422, May 207, June 271, July 564, August 391, September 137, October 72, November 57, December 78.
Full-year ET7 deliveries totaled approximately 3,046 units, with every month from May onward showing year-over-year declines ranging from 25% to 91%.
Sedan Lineup Struggles
The weak sedan performance contributed to the Nio brand’s first annual sales decline since the company began deliveries in 2018.
The brand delivered 178,806 vehicles in 2025, down 11.1% from 201,209 units in 2024.
The EC6 coupe SUV also struggled, with December deliveries of 1,041 units representing a 65% year-over-year decline.
By contrast, the redesigned ES8 three-row SUV delivered 22,276 units in December, setting records for vehicles priced above 400,000 yuan in China.
Export Record
Separately, Nio Group exported 750 vehicles in December across all brands — Nio, Onvo, and Firefly — a new monthly record and up 63% from 459 units in November.
The company launched its Firefly brand in Singapore on Wednesday, its first market in Southeast Asia, as it expands into right-hand drive territories.
