Nio will launch three new large SUV models in 2026 as the Group expands its premium lineup, founder and Chief Executive Officer William Li said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call on Tuesday.
Li declined to provide specific details about the models, though the company has previously confirmed its ES9 flagship SUV will launch in the second quarter of 2026.
The EV maker has also recently delayed the launch of the L80, a large five-seat SUV under its Onvo sub-brand that shares exterior design with the three-row model L90 launched in July.
The L80 was initially scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2025 but has been delayed to the first half of next year as Nio focuses on ramping up production of the L90 and its best-selling ES8.
“We will still continue the buzz around these two products, relatively new to the market,” Li said, referring to the ES8 and L90.
“Plus we are going to introduce another three new large models. So we will be having five new large models available to the market next year from the Nio and the Onvo brand,” he added.
Premium Positioning
The three new large SUV models will be positioned at the higher end of the price spectrum within their respective segments, Li said, though pricing has not been finalized.
The company expects significant margin contribution from the new vehicles, which will be fully synergized with the ES8 and L90 from a cost structure perspective.
“This year and next year for the cost structure, the cost optimization and the cost-saving opportunities that we’ve identified on the ES8 and L90 can also be carried over to these three new models,” Li said.
“With five large models combined, we expect them to contribute to good product performance as well as on the margin levels, overall speaking, achieving 20% vehicle margin,” the CEO added.
Li noted that mid-to-large and large SUV segments where the new models will compete saw source volumes increase 146% in the third quarter, while the overall market grew only 19%.
Battery electric vehicle penetration among premium large vehicle models remains relatively low, representing significant growth potential, he said.
Higher-Margin Focus
The focus on larger, premium models comes as Nio’s lower-priced Onvo brand faces headwinds from the phase-out of China’s trade-in subsidy program.
Li said the Onvo L60 and L90 have been affected by the subsidy cancellation as they target relatively low price segments and are more sensitive to such changes.
However, the company maintains confidence in achieving its fourth-quarter breakeven target due to strong demand for higher-margin products like the ES8, which has an ample order backlog and continued new order intake, Li said.
