Nio said it would continue advancing its European operations after the European Commission outlined conditions under which Chinese electric vehicle makers could replace EU tariffs with a minimum pricing arrangement, Reuters reported.
“We are pleased to see China and the EU making steady progress toward consensus on the basis of mutual respect,” Nio said in a statement on Tuesday, according to Reuters.
See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Expands European Footprint With Austria Deliveries
The comments came after China and the European Union reached an agreement in principle on price undertakings for Chinese battery electric vehicle (BEV) exports to the bloc, a move that could pave the way for replacing additional import tariffs. China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Monday that both sides agreed on the need to provide general guidance on price commitments for Chinese exporters shipping passenger BEVs to the EU.
Under the framework, the EU said it would apply non-discriminatory principles and assess price commitments under the same legal standards in line with World Trade Organization rules, the ministry said.
See also: Nio Expands Firefly EV Deliveries to Denmark and Greece as European Rollout Accelerates
The European Commission launched an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese-made BEVs in October 2023, arguing that state support in China had distorted competition in the European market. After concluding the probe, the Commission decided in October 2025 to impose additional tariffs for five years, on top of the EU’s standard 10% import duty.
The extra duties varied by manufacturer. Nio was assigned an additional tariff rate of 20.7%, while negotiations on price undertakings continued in parallel.
Europe has been a central focus of Nio’s overseas expansion strategy in recent years, with the company opening direct-sales stores in several countries. More recently, Nio has shifted toward a more asset-light approach, relying on distributors to enter additional markets, with its lower-priced Firefly sub-brand positioned as a key vehicle for international growth.
See also: Nio’s Firefly Brand Reaches 40,000 Vehicle Deliveries
Nio had initially planned to launch Firefly in Europe first, but delayed the rollout amid tariff uncertainty, instead debuting the brand’s first model in China in April 2025. Nio founder, chairman and chief executive William Li said in mid-2024 that the company opposed the EU’s additional tariffs, but added that Firefly would remain competitive in Europe even under the higher duties.
