NIO is pressing ahead with its European expansion plans, marking a new milestone with the start of deliveries for its refreshed ES8 SUV, known as the EL8 in the European electric vehicle (EV) market. 

On September 16, NIO started delivering the first batch of EL8 SUVs to customers across Europe. The company celebrated this achievement by sharing images of the initial deliveries on its Weibo page, encouraging more buyers to join the “NIO family” and contribute to a sustainable future.

The EL8, a refreshed version of the ES8 SUV that kickstarted NIO’s journey, is now the sixth NIO model to enter the European market. It is currently available in five countries: Denmark, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, three vehicles were handed over to buyers at NIO’s Hub in Utrecht.

The EL8 is a 6-seater SUV equipped with four executive seats and a flexible third row. The Executive variant, priced at €108,900 (around $121,161) in Germany (with battery included), features luxury amenities such as a smart refrigerator and massage functions.

A more affordable option starts at €94,900 (around $105,585) when purchasing with the battery, while NIO’s innovative Battery as a Service (BaaS) system allows buyers to subscribe to the battery separately, reducing the initial cost to €82,900 (around $92,234).

Alongside vehicle deliveries, NIO continues to expand its charging infrastructure in Europe. As of today, the company operates 56 battery swap stations across the continent, with 19 in Norway, 18 in Germany, and 10 in the Netherlands. This network supports NIO’s unique battery swapping technology, allowing users to exchange their vehicle’s battery in just a few minutes.

NIO’s European expansion comes at a challenging time, as the European Union (EU) has recently imposed additional tariffs on Chinese EVs. Initially, NIO faced a 21% weighted average tariff, which has since been adjusted to 20.8% for companies cooperating with the EU’s investigation.

Read More: EU Eyes Lower Tariffs For Chinese EVs: Tesla And Geely Set To Benefit

Despite these challenges, NIO has publicly stated its opposition to the tariffs while emphasizing that its commitment to the European market remains unchanged. William Li, NIO’s founder and CEO, has confirmed that the company will continue to sell its imported battery EVs in Europe.

With the EL8 joining NIO’s European lineup alongside the ET7, EL7 (formerly ES7), ET5, ET5T, and ES6, the company is demonstrating its determination to establish a strong presence in the competitive European EV market as it progresses in its global strategy.

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