Nio‘s said a chip shortage affecting its rear-seat entertainment system will force the company to adopt a modified technical solution for its ES8 SUV starting December 22.
“Due to a shortage in the supply of expansion chips for the rear-seat entertainment system of the all-new ES8, in order to ensure vehicle deliveries, starting from December 22, 2025, all-new ES8 vehicles coming off the final assembly line will adopt a new technical solution for the rear-seat entertainment expansion function,” the company said.
In a notice to customers via its mobile app, Nio said vehicles already delivered are “largely unaffected” by the change.
Features Disabled
The workaround disables two features: local video playback via USB flash drive, and the ability to output the in-vehicle system display to an external screen via the USB-C port inside the center armrest box.
USB lossless music playback and wireless screen casting remain functional. USB-C data input and wired screen casting are also unaffected, with wired casting supporting up to 1080P resolution, the company said.
Customers can identify whether their vehicle uses the new technical solution by checking the appearance of the USB-C port inside the front center armrest box, which differs from the original configuration.
Buyers can also contact their dedicated sales representative to confirm before delivery.
Due to “the complexity of the supply chain,” Nio said it cannot convert vehicles that came off the production line before December 22 to the new technical solution.
Compensation Offered
Customers who lock in an ES8 order by December 31 and receive a vehicle with the modified solution will receive 15,000 points as compensation, credited to the primary user’s account within three days of delivery.
After chip supply improves, owners may pay 12,000 points or 1,200 yuan ($165) for a post-installation upgrade to restore the original functionality.
“Thank you for your understanding and patience. We are making every effort to accelerate production and deliver your vehicle to you as soon as possible,” the company said.
Battery Bottleneck Continues
The chip shortage compounds existing supply chain pressures on ES8 production.
Earlier this month, Nio founder and Chief Executive Officer William Li said battery supply had become the primary bottleneck limiting deliveries of the three-row SUV.
“Right now, one of the main bottlenecks for ES8 deliveries is batteries. The number of batteries that can currently be produced determines how many vehicles we can deliver,” Li said at an event in China. “So even our delivery speed is affected.”
“When resources for the 102 kWh battery are in short supply, everyone needs to wait a bit,” the CEO added, noting the constraint is expected to ease in January when production capacity will exceed vehicle output.
Nio‘s main battery suppliers are CATL — its partner, investor, and the world’s largest battery maker — and CALB, which is backed by NIO Capital, an investment firm co-founded by Li.
Delivery Times Reducing
The estimated delivery time for ES8 orders was reduced in the first days of December to 20-21 weeks, down from 22-23 weeks previously and 24-26 weeks at launch.
The model delivered 10,677 units in November, a 59.3% sequential increase from October’s 6,703.
Demand Exceeds Expectations
The supply constraints follow unexpectedly strong demand for the third-generation ES8, which launched September 20 and sold out its 40,000-unit production allocation within minutes of pricing being announced.
Li acknowledged the company underestimated demand for the model.
Nio has been prioritizing battery production for ES8 assembly over its battery swap network since late September, a trade-off that temporarily constrained the infrastructure allowing drivers to exchange depleted packs for charged ones in minutes.
