Nio Launches ES9 SUV at Lower-Than-Expected Starting Price

NIO officially launched its flagship ES9 electric SUV in China with pricing that came in nearly 6% below pre-sales levels, underscoring the company’s aggressive push to gain share in the country’s increasingly competitive premium EV segment. The six-seat luxury SUV starts at 498,000 yuan ($73,470) including the battery pack, while customers using Nio’s battery subscription program can lower the entry price to 390,000 yuan.

The launch places the ES9 directly into competition with other high-end Chinese smart EVs, including the recently updated Aito M9 backed by Huawei.

Nio loads ES9 with flagship technology and luxury features

The ES9 arrives as Nio’s largest pure electric SUV to date, measuring 5,365 mm long with a 3,250 mm wheelbase. The company positioned the vehicle as a premium executive transport alternative capable of replacing large luxury MPVs.

Nio equipped the ES9 with much of the technology previously introduced in the higher-priced ET9 sedan, which starts at 768,000 yuan in China. The SUV rides on a 900-volt electrical architecture and uses a dual-motor powertrain combining a 180-kW front motor with a 340-kW rear motor, according to CNEV Post.

Combined output reaches 520 kW, or roughly 697 horsepower, allowing the large SUV to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.

The entire lineup includes a 102-kWh battery supplied by CATL, delivering CLTC-rated range figures between 580 km and 620 km depending on configuration. Like other Nio models, the ES9 supports the company’s battery swap system, allowing battery exchanges in roughly three minutes.

Inside, the SUV features three Tandem AMOLED displays, including dual 16-inch rear executive screens and a 47-speaker audio system rated at 3,020 watts.

Nio cuts pricing as China’s luxury EV competition escalates

The ES9’s final pricing came in 30,000 yuan below pre-sales pricing across all variants, signaling Nio’s determination to remain competitive as China’s premium EV market becomes increasingly crowded.

The base Executive Luxury trim uses a single in-house Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip, while higher trims receive dual chips for more advanced computing capability. Nio also reserved its SkyRide fully active suspension system for the upper-end Executive Signature and Horizon editions.

At the launch event, Nio founder and CEO William Li reiterated that the ES9 could make consumers “forget about MPVs,” continuing comments that previously drew public responses from General Motors’ Buick brand.

Nio also enlisted NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming as the ES9’s chief experience officer in an effort to build momentum around the launch.

The ES9 launch arrived just hours after Huawei-backed Aito introduced an updated version of its competing M9 SUV at a lower-than-expected price, highlighting the escalating pricing battle unfolding across China’s premium EV market.

EV.com tracks the evolving EV collector space and performance electric vehicles hitting the market. Explore our listings to find the best EVs in your area available today.