Nio's flagship ES9 SUV reaches 20,000 deliveries in 73 days; top trims still wait 13-14 weeks
Nio has handed over its 20,000th ES9, the brand's flagship SUV, 73 days after deliveries began, with founder William Li presenting the car himself.
- 20,000
- 73
- 56,000 units
- 35,934 vehicles, up 71% YoY
What Happened
Nio handed over the 20,000th ES9, its executive flagship SUV, on Aug 8, 73 days after the first cars went out. Founder and CEO William Li gave the car to Xiao Wenhua, who chairs Huaxiangyuan Tea. Nio calls it a record for premium battery-electric models in the country's 500,000-yuan bracket, about $73,630.
ES9 launched in China
First customer deliveries begin
ES9 reaches 10,000 deliveries
Yao Ming takes delivery of his ES9
Nio completes the 20,000th delivery
The ES9 opens at 498,000 yuan with its battery, or 390,000 yuan on Nio's BaaS rental scheme. Demand keeps outstripping supply, and Nio has been releasing cars only slowly.
- 16-17 weeks
- 13-14 weeks
- 3-4 weeks
Yao Ming, the basketball great and the ES9's chief experience officer, ordered his on launch night but didn't receive it until Aug 5, a wait of over two months. Deutsche Bank reckoned in June that the ES9 already held more than 25,000 non-cancellable orders, prompting it to lift its 2026 full-year forecast for the car to 56,000 units.
Costlier models are helping Nio's finances: the core Nio brand's average selling price hit 434,600 yuan in July, easing from 443,000 yuan a month earlier. Deutsche Bank sees Nio reaching non-GAAP breakeven by Q2, on the strength of its high-margin cars. Nio hasn't set a date for its Q2 results, whereas domestic rival Xpeng reports on Aug 24. Group-wide, Nio delivered 35,934 vehicles in July, up 71% year on year, and 227,057 across the first seven months of 2026, up 68%.
Previously from NIO
Nio's wider delivery run was already strong ahead of the ES9 milestone: June set a year-to-date high of 40,597 vehicles, up 62.9% year on year, and May brought 37,705 vehicles, up 62.3%. The 20,000th ES9 delivery comes on top of that broader sales trend.
- NIO Inc. delivers 40,597 vehicles in June, up 62.9% YoY, sets year-to-date high
- NIO Delivers 37,705 Vehicles in May, Up 62.3% YoY
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of NIO's official releases.
Why this matters
In 73 days the ES9 has racked up 20,000 deliveries, a record for China's premium 500,000-yuan electric SUVs and a sign that orders are outpacing what Nio can build. High-end trims still carry a 13-14 week wait, and the richer model mix is pulling up Nio's average selling price - enough, Deutsche Bank reckons, to edge the company toward non-GAAP breakeven by Q2.
Terms in This Story
- BaaS
- Battery as a service — a Nio plan that separates the battery from the car purchase, lowering the upfront price and typically involving a monthly battery rental fee.
- non-GAAP
- A profitability measure that excludes certain one-off or non-cash items to give a clearer view of ongoing operations.
A brief summary; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.