Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Chinese electric carmaker Nio has replaced its chief for the Dutch market Ruben Keuter as sales continue to disappoint.
Keuter joined Nio in March 2022 to prepare for the market launch in the Netherlands, which took place later that year, in October. In its second full year in the market, the EV maker registered 233 vehicles.
As of the end of February, year to date sales in the Netherlands have fallen to 26 units — down from the 30 vehicles registered in the first two months of 2024, according to official data from the Dutch Industry Association BOVAG.
In February, Nio registered seven ET7 sedans, one ET5 sedan, two EL8 SUVs, and two EL6 SUVs. The EL7, the brand’s flagship five-seater SUV, recorded no sales.
On April 1, Keuter will become managing director of Hyundai in the Dutch market replacing Tjalling Hollander.
The executive will be replaced on April 1 by Tristan Hamelink, who served as Head of Sales and Operations since joining the EV maker in June 2022. Hamelink worked for seven years at the German car rental company SIXT.
“I’m honoured to announce I’ll step into the role of General Manager for Nio Nederland,” he wrote on LinkedIn this Friday.
“As we enter a new chapter I’m excited to continue working with our amazing team to drive Nio’s success in the Dutch market. I’m grateful to Nio’s Senior Leadership for their trust and this opportunity,” he added before noting that he “worked closely” with the team across Europe.
Hamelink said the EV maker will “continue expanding our innovative offering in the Dutch market” over the next years.
“Over the past years, I’ve worked closely with our teams in the Netherlands and across Europe. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built and deeply grateful for the trust our users place in Nio. In the years ahead, we’ll continue expanding our innovative offering in the Dutch market, making electrification accessible to an even broader audience.”
“A huge thank you to Ruben Keuter for his leadership, friendship, and the strong foundation he has built. It’s been an incredible journey together, from the European launch to so many key milestones,” the executive concluded in the post.
According to the official website, Nio is currently offering “a lower monthly payment with an interest rate starting from 0.99%” for customers buying an ET5 or ET7. The offer includes only in-stock vehicles and ends by the end of the month.
“As part of our special discount on stock models, the price of the ET5 has been reduced by €1,250 – now €49,450 instead of €50,700,” Nio states on the website. “The price of the ET7 has been reduced by €1,850 – now €71,050 instead of €72,900. The discount is applied after the order is placed and will be reflected in the details.”
In early January, Nio said it was temporarily reducing prices for its charging and battery swap services in the country by 34% as it aims to increase first quarter sales.
Until the end of March, Nio drivers can swap their car’s battery or charge at Nio’s stations for €0.29 ($0.30)per kilowatt-hour (kWh), down from the previous rate of €0.44/kWh.
Tesla’s registrations fell 24% year-over-year to 983 vehicles as the company prepares to launch deliveries of the new Model Y across Europe in May.
Polestar and XPeng saw the largest year-over-year increases, with registrations rising 76% to 157 units and 40% to 67 units, respectively.
Lucid Motors registered one vehicle, while Zeekr recorded 50 registrations, up from 49 in January and 14% higher than a year ago.
