Nio said on Tuesday it delivered 10,677 units of the third-generation ES8 sport utility vehicle in November, as it continues ramping up production of its best selling model.
The three-row SUV represented more than half (58%) of the main brand’s total sales.
Compared with October, ES8 deliveries surged 59.3%. In November 2024, the ES8 delivered 572 units, representing 2.8% of Nio‘s total deliveries in that period.
The latest generation was pre-launched in late August at the Chengdu Auto Show, with the official launch taking place a month later at Nio‘s annual event.
The Shanghai-based electric vehicle maker said on Saturday the all-new ES8 reached its 20,000th delivery on the 70th day after deliveries began.
In a new post this Tuesday, Nio revealed the exact figures for November adding that the model set a record for the fastest time to reach 20,000 units for pure electric vehicles priced above 400,000 yuan ($56,600).
“The golden era of pure electric large three-row SUVs has arrived,” Nio added in the post.
Third-Generation Redesign
The company launched the third generation of its flagship SUV and first-ever model in September.
While the second-generation upgrade introduced in 2023 represented a minor design update with improved technology features, the third generation brought significantly higher changes with a substantially lower starting price.
Chief Executive William Li said at the model’s September 20 unveiling that Nio aimed to deliver 40,000 ES8 units between September 21 and December 31.
The company does not typically break down sales by model, but opened an exception for the ES8.
December’s Pace
Deutsche Bank analyst Bin Wang wrote in a research note released Tuesday that the ES8 is positioned to meet Nio’s annual target of 40,000 units, with fourth-quarter deliveries projected at 33,000 vehicles.
Kang Kai, the company’s Marketing Vice-President, said last week that production in the last month of the year could reach 20,000 units.
Brand Performance
The Nio Group said Monday its main brand delivered 18,393 vehicles in November, up 18.7% from a year earlier. The ES8’s 10,677 deliveries accounted for the majority of those sales.
The EV maker had delivered 17,143 vehicles under the Nio brand in October and 13,728 units in September, representing a 7.3% monthly increase in November.
Product Strategy
Both the ES8 and the L90 — a three-row electric SUV launched in August under Nio‘s Onvo sub-brand — are currently the group’s best-selling models as the company continues focusing on SUVs rather than sedans.
Li said last week during the company’s earnings conference call that the group will launch three large SUVs in 2026.
Based on previous management comments, one model is the ES9, a new flagship SUV larger and more luxurious than the ES8. Another is the L80, a large five-seat SUV under the Onvo brand that has been delayed from late 2025 to the first half of 2026.
Nio‘s US-listed shares were trading flat in Tuesday’s pre-market session.
