Electric vehicle maker Nio expanded its flagship ET9 Horizon Edition lineup with two new color themes at the Guangzhou Auto Show on Friday, broadening options for the ultra-luxury sedan launched in the final days of 2024.
The new “FirstLight” and “SunlitPeak” themes join the original gray-silver combination introduced when Nio debuted the Horizon Edition at its annual event in September.
All three variants of the special edition are priced at 818,000 yuan ($115,100) with battery purchase, or 710,000 yuan ($99,900) under the company’s battery-as-a-service model—approximately 6% above the standard ET9.
Design Inspiration
“FirstLight” draws inspiration from Iceland’s Reynisfjara black sand beach at dawn, featuring a gray-over-black exterior finish. “SunlitPeak” evokes sunrise over China’s Meili Snow Mountain, incorporating warmer tones meant to capture golden alpine light.
“Where black and white intertwine, submerged faith emerges as a prelude, congealing into the first streak of light on the horizon,” the Shanghai-based company said in describing FirstLight’s design philosophy.
All Horizon Edition variants feature custom-forged 23-inch nine-hole moon-phase wheels, dual-tone interiors with real wood and aluminum inlay, and an “Ocean Blue and Carrera White” color scheme in the cabin.
Market Context
The ET9, which began deliveries in China in March, represents Nio‘s push into ultra-luxury territory while its two sub-brands Onvo and Firefly bet on the mass market segment.
Built on a 900-volt architecture, the sedan features steer-by-wire technology, integrated hydraulic active suspension, and what Nio claims are “over 20 world-first technologies” backed by more than 1,000 patents.
The announcement came as founder and Chief Executive Officer William Li marked the ninth anniversary of the Nio brand logo at the Guangzhou show.
The company, originally founded as NextEV in November 2014, has positioned itself as China’s answer to Tesla Inc. in the premium segment.
Buyers of the Horizon Edition receive a decade of complimentary charging and battery swapping services, along with what Nio describes as “five major car usage scenarios with exclusive benefits.”
Nio plans to launch the ES9 flagship SUV in 2026, incorporating similar technologies from the ET9 platform.
