Nio is expected to unveil its new flagship sport utility vehicle, the ES9, in mid-April, ahead of its public debut at the Beijing Auto Show later that month, company executives said.
The ES9’s technology launch event is tentatively scheduled for around April 10, Qin Lihong, Nio’s co-founder and president, said during a weekend user engagement event, adding that the date could still change. The timing would position the model for its first public appearance at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which runs from April 24 to May 3.
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Qin first referenced the ES9 in May 2025, marking the initial disclosure of the model. In China, the number nine is typically used to denote a brand’s flagship vehicle, signaling that the ES9 is expected to showcase Nio’s latest technologies and highest positioning in its SUV lineup.
Like the ET9 executive sedan, the ES9 is expected to feature dual Shenji NX9031 smart driving chips and Nio’s SkyRide chassis technology, according to company statements. William Li, Nio’s founder, chairman and chief executive, said earlier this month that the ES9 has completed its Tooling Trial manufacturing phase and will move into pre-production.
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Regulatory filings published by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology show the ES9 measures 5,365 mm in length, 2,029 mm in width and 1,870 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,250 mm. The dimensions exceed those of the third-generation ES8, currently Nio’s largest electric SUV.
The ES9 will become the third Nio model based on the company’s third-generation NT 3.0 vehicle platform, following the ET9 and the updated ES8. Qin said the refreshed ES7 SUV will be launched in the third quarter, making it the fourth model to transition to the new platform.
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Nio also plans to migrate its core “5566” lineup — the ET5, ET5 Touring, ES6 and EC6 — to the third-generation platform next year, Qin said, as the company continues to standardize its next-generation architecture across its product range.
Source: CnEVPost
