Peter Smith
● NIO posted solid numbers for the first nine months of 2025, delivering 110,950 electric vehicles across China. Two models stood out: the ET5T and ES6 each captured roughly 32% of sales, cementing their role as the backbone of NIO's lineup in the competitive premium EV space.
● ChinaEV Home shared the update, noting that "The NIO brand sold 110,950 vehicles from January to September 2025. The ET5T and ES6 led the lineup, each accounting for around 32% of total sales." The figures, sourced from Yiche by ChinaEV Home, confirm these models are central to the brand's current momentum.
● Still, challenges loom. Battery costs remain unpredictable, domestic demand is cooling, and rivals like BYD, Li Auto, and XPeng are pushing hard. Without a stronger push into international markets, NIO risks margin squeeze and could lose talent to competitors expanding faster in Europe and North America.
● Financially, the data hints at improvement over 2024, when supply chain issues and thin margins held the company back. NIO's game plan now focuses on boosting production efficiency, growing its battery-swap infrastructure, and tapping software revenue through autonomous driving and smart cabin tech.
● NIO's performance also reflects China's broader EV surge—new energy vehicles now make up over a third of passenger car sales nationwide. Even with economic headwinds, the company's ability to maintain steady output shows it can adapt as buyers shift toward high-tech, performance-focused EVs.
● Looking ahead, NIO's challenge is balancing premium appeal with the scale needed to compete globally. How well it invests in innovation, infrastructure, and exports will likely determine whether it cements itself among the world's top EV players by year-end.
Peter Smith
