Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker Nio plans to launch its new flagship SUV, the ES9, in the first half of 2026, co-founder and president Qin Lihong said at a user event in Shenzhen, marking the first official confirmation of the model.
The announcement follows the company’s rollout of the ET9 flagship sedan in late March. The ET9, priced from RMB 788,000 ($109,430), represents Nio’s highest-end offering to date and is equipped with advanced smart driving features.
Qin did not provide detailed specifications of the upcoming ES9 but said the SUV would be positioned as Nio’s top-tier utility vehicle. “We are preparing to bring the ES9 to market in the first half of 2026,” Qin told attendees, according to user accounts shared on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
Nio currently sells nine models across the sedan and SUV segments, including the ET9, ES8, ES7, ES6, EC7, EC6, ET7, ET5, and ET5 Touring. The ES8 is Nio’s current flagship SUV, starting at RMB 498,000. The ES9 name suggests a step above, with expectations that it will incorporate Nio’s latest NT 3.0 platform, dual Shenji NX 9031 intelligent driving chips, and the SkyRide chassis—technologies already available on the ET9.
Rumors last month suggested the ES9 could be unveiled during the company’s Nio Day 2025 event in December, with industry sources speculating a length exceeding 5.2 meters.
Qin also said an updated version of the ES8 will be introduced between August and September, and confirmed that Onvo, Nio’s sub-brand, will launch its L90 SUV in August followed by the L80 SUV in the fourth quarter.
In China’s automotive market, the number “9” is traditionally used to signify flagship models, highlighting the importance of the upcoming ES9 in Nio’s lineup.
