After initially showing a six-month wait for the third-generation ES8 SUV, Nio’s website on late Wednesday displayed, for the first time, a shorter estimated delivery time in China.
The new iteration, which features a longer wheelbase, upgraded technology, and a significantly lower price, was unveiled on September 20 at Nio’s annual event in Hangzhou.
Pre-orders had already opened ahead of the launch, allowing customers to lock in purchases immediately after founder and CEO William Li announced pricing details before an audience of 7,000 people.
As reported by EV last month, the Nio app began showing estimated delivery times a few days after the unveiling.
While Nio doesn’t disclose order figures at launch, signs of strong demand for the three-row SUV became evident when the app showed waiting periods of 24 to 26 weeks.
That range held steady for about four weeks as the company prioritized ramping up production of the ES8 and the newly launched L90 SUV under its Onvo sub-brand.
On Wednesday night, the app’s estimate was updated to a range of 22–23 weeks.
The six-seat Executive Signature Edition starts at 446,800 yuan ($62,700), while the Executive Luxury Edition begins at 406,800 yuan ($57,000).
For both versions, Nio says, “Estimated delivery 22–23 weeks after configuration lock.”
The new timeframe suggests that orders placed now will be delivered in late March 2026.
In late September, Nio said it would temporarily use 100-kWh battery packs to speed deliveries of the new ES8, a move expected to put short-term strain on its battery-swap network.
As the Shanghai-headquartered EV maker prioritizes output of the model, it has started offering new ES8 buyers a 400-yuan ($56) charging subsidy if they take delivery before year-end.
The measure, announced on Nio’s mobile app under the “Exclusive Charging Care Plan for New ES8 Users,” is intended to ease a backlog that has stretched to roughly six months.
Nio has said it plans to build 40,000 units of the model this year but warned that further capacity increases will be difficult.
The company expects to produce 10,000 vehicles in October and 15,000 in December, making the ES8 a key contributor to sales under Nio Group’s core brand.
Earlier this week, the sub-brand Onvo stopped showing estimated delivery times on its app and website.
A few days earlier, the company had increased the waiting time for both its models — the L60 and L90 — to a range of 7-9 weeks.
