NIO New ES8 Launched: Preorders Start at RMB 416,800, Powered by Self-developed NX9031 Chip & NT3.0 Platform

In a unique yet 2.5-hour-long launch event on August 21, NIO officially unveiled the all-new ES8 at its “New ES8 Product & Technology Launch Conference.”

Kicking off with soft music, William Li, NIO’s Founder, Chairman, and CEO, first shared updates on charging and battery swap infrastructure: Over the past decade, NIO has invested more than RMB 18 billion (≈USD 2.46 billion) in this sector. With the completion of charging and swap stations along the G318 highway, NIO and LeDao users can now travel to Mount Everest with battery swaps throughout the journey. Li emphasized that the 3rd-generation ES8 is the world’s first smart electric vehicle to complete three generations of iteration, embodying a decade of NIO’s technological innovation.

Pricing & Delivery Timeline

The new ES8 offers three variants, with pre-prices as follows:

Variant	Full-Vehicle Purchase (Starting Price)	Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) (Starting Price)
6-Seat Executive Luxury	RMB 416,800 (≈USD 57,100)	RMB 308,800 (≈USD 42,300)
6-Seat Executive Signature	RMB 456,800 (≈USD 62,600)	RMB 348,800 (≈USD 47,800)
7-Seat Executive Luxury	RMB 416,800 (≈USD 57,100)	RMB 308,800 (≈USD 42,300)

The new ES8 is scheduled to go on sale and start deliveries in late September. On the night of the launch, NIO’s U.S.-listed stock rose steadily during intraday trading, gaining over 7% as of press time.

Key Upgrades: Design & Dimensions

Upgraded from a midsize to a full-size SUV, the new ES8 boasts expanded dimensions:

• Length: 5,280mm; Width: 2,010mm; Height: 1,800mm; Wheelbase: 3,130mm

Its iconic Shark Nose front fascia features a more upright design for a taller visual profile. The Double Dash daytime running lights have evolved into a dual-layer layout, paired with 22-inch forged Signature wheels to enhance luxury. Six exterior paint options are available: Jet Black, Cloud White, Antarctic Star Blue, Dawn Gold, Star Green, and Star Wave Gray.

Luxury & Space: 82.5% Space Utilization, 777L Total Storage

Luxury Details

• Lighting: 50㎡ welcome light curtain and 200lx door panel welcome light carpet.
• AD Visibility: First-time addition of “AD Blue Lights” on side mirrors – when AD is activated, nearby vehicles can better recognize the driving status.
• Interior Colors: Four options (Pamir Brown, Pearl Shell, Daisen Blue, Sappan Red).

Spacious Storage & Cabin

• Front Trunk: 230L capacity (max depth 503mm), supporting 80-100kg static load and 50kg dynamic load – enough for 2×20-inch + 1×14-inch suitcases.
• Rear Cargo Area: 547L (including 132L underfloor storage), totaling 777L with the frunk – 129L larger than two comparable competitors.
• Cabin Space: 82.5% “space utilization rate” (learned from LeDao L90). Second-row max legroom reaches 1,407mm; passenger cabin length is 2,757mm with 6.2㎡ usable space. The 3rd-row (2-seat layout) adds charging ports and cup holders for easier access.

Performance: 3.97s 0-100km/h, 16.6kWh/100km Efficiency

Standard high-performance dual motors (180kW front, 340kW rear) deliver:

• 0-100km/h acceleration: 3.97 seconds (top tier among same-class EVs)
• Curb weight: 2,630kg
• 100km energy consumption: 16.6kWh
• 100km/h braking distance: 34.9 meters

Intelligence: Dual Chips, Cross-Domain Integration, Premium Screens

Chips & Architecture

Equipped with NIO’s Shenji NX9031 chip + Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chip, adopting a centralized architecture for cross-domain integration of AD, smart cockpit, smart chassis, body, powertrain, and cloud systems – enabling control of all controllers, sensors, and actuators across domains.

Displays

• Front: Skyline panoramic screen (similar to ET9) + 15.6-inch central control screen.
• Rear: 21.4-inch miniLED entertainment screen (narrow bezel, 3K resolution, 1,000nit brightness, 100% DCI-P3 gamut) – the only vehicle-grade screen in its pure electric class.

NOMI Mate (3rd-Gen Smart Assistant)

• Supports nearly 30,000 wake-up-free commands and 10,000+ commands with 0.76-second response.
• NOMI Agents architecture enables scenario understanding, demand analysis, task planning, and execution. It can handle most operations except safe driving (e.g., auto-customizing rainy-day driving suggestions).
• NOMI Phone integration allows generating appropriate message replies for quick sending.

Physical Controls

Retains 111 physical buttons and 15 function clusters for intuitive operation.

All-Scenario Power Supply & Comfort Features

• Power Outlets: Charging available in frunk, rear cargo area, center armrest, and AC charging port.
• Fridge: 8.8L capacity in the 2nd row (temperature range: -2~55°C) with electric opening (a response to user feedback, unlike older ES8 models lacking “fridge, large screen, and comfortable seats”).
• Seat Comfort: Heated 3rd-row seat backs, cushions, armrests, leg rests, and foot rests.
• Noise Reduction: 60.5 decibels inside the cabin at 120km/h.
• Motion Sickness Mitigation: Rear “motion sickness relief live view” – automatically matches vehicle movement to reduce visual-physical perception conflict.
• Privacy Windows: Three modes (Privacy: 0.35% light transmittance; Sunshade; Transparent).

Advanced Driving Assistance (AD): 31 Sensors, NWM Empowerment

Hardware

• 31 high-performance perception hardware, covering up to 400,000㎡ of all-around perception.
• Innovative addition of dual wide-angle LiDARs on side fenders (plus the roof “lookout tower” sensor) for better surrounding awareness.

Software

• Delivered with AD system empowered by NIO World Model (NWM), supporting intelligent safety AD, point-to-point navigation AD (covers parks/parking lots, urban roads, highways/expressways, energy replenishment), and smart parking assist.
• NIO users have accumulated over 3.5 billion km of AD driving.

Core Chip

NX9031 chip (5nm automotive-grade process, 546GB/s memory bandwidth, industry-top ASIL-D functional safety) – used in 5 NIO mass-produced models, with core models and functions fully migrated.

Battery & Energy Replenishment

• Standard Battery: 102kWh pack (supports 4C charging).
• Upcoming Battery: 120kWh pack (to support 5C charging).
• Price Cut: 100kWh long-range battery pack reduced from RMB 128,000 to RMB 108,000 (≈USD 14,800) – lowering the new ES8’s purchase cost.
• Swap Network: As of 2025, NIO has built over 8,100 charging/swap stations nationwide (3,400+ swap stations, 4,700+ charging stations).

Safety: 40,126Nm/deg Torsional Stiffness, 65 Active Safety Features

Passive Safety

• 72 comprehensive crash tests; high-strength cage body (torsional stiffness: 40,126Nm/deg); 89% aluminum alloy + high-strength steel ratio.
• High-Speed Tire Blowout Protection: Auto-adjusts vehicle posture and keeps AD active to pull over safely when a blowout occurs at 130km/h.

Active Safety

• 65 standard active safety features. Its model-based all-directional AEB has avoided or mitigated 2.29 million collision risks since launch.

Market Context & Outlook

In the latest sales data, NIO delivered 21,000 new vehicles (13,000 under the NIO brand) – still short of its year-end NIO-brand target of 25,000 units. As of late July, NIO’s cumulative deliveries reached 806,731 units.

For William Li, 2025 has two key milestones: the popular LeDao L90 and the new ES8. As a flagship product for NIO’s high-end EV market position, the new ES8 is a critical launch. Upgraded on the NT3.0 platform, it strengthens NIO’s premium image with enhanced configurations and intelligence, making it a strong competitor to Li Auto L8 and L9. Whether it becomes another bestseller for NIO remains to be verified by the market.