Nio founder and chief executive William Li has reiterated the company’s goal of achieving profitability in the fourth quarter of 2025, calling on employees to give their full commitment in the final stretch of the year, according to Chinese media outlet 21jingji.
During an internal meeting on October 17, Li outlined his personal VAU (Vision Action Upgrade) plan for the fourth quarter and stressed the importance of meeting the profitability target, which has been a key company objective over the past year. The meeting, attended by mid- and senior-level managers, marked what Li described as the “final sprint” toward the long-awaited milestone.
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“This is the test our entire team must pass to demonstrate our operational efficiency and business capabilities,” Li told staff, according to the report. He said achieving profitability was “not merely for show, but the cornerstone for Nio’s long-term sustainable development.”
The company has been targeting its first-ever quarterly profit in the final quarter of 2025, based on non-GAAP accounting standards, which exclude one-time and non-recurring items to better reflect core earnings. Nio first outlined this goal during a September 2 earnings call, positioning it as a crucial step toward improving financial stability amid fierce competition in China’s electric vehicle market.
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Li urged employees to focus on boosting sales across all models in the remaining months of the year, noting that demand may soften in early 2026 after China’s purchase tax incentives for new energy vehicles expire. “If we can harvest more in advance this year, our operational pressure will be reduced,” he said.
He emphasized that the fourth quarter would be “exceptionally critical,” urging staff to stay motivated with less than 70 days left in the year. “Every single day counts, and no one can afford to slack off,” Li said.
