In Beijing, NIO has officially unveiled the ES9, a flagship electric SUV that signals a pivotal shift in how premium automakers approach electrification. With prices starting at RMB 390,000 through the company's Battery-as-a-Service subscription plan, the ES9 arrives at a moment when battery electric vehicles are shedding the compromises that once defined them—particularly the inconvenience of charging.
The significance of this launch extends beyond a single vehicle. For over a decade, NIO has invested in building the infrastructure that makes electric ownership seamless: a network of power-swapping stations that replace a depleted battery in minutes rather than hours. This year alone, the company plans to deploy more than 1,000 new Power Swap Stations, with fifth-generation stations rolling out at scale beginning in the third quarter. This systemic approach—marrying vehicle innovation with charging and swapping infrastructure—is redefining what's possible for long-distance EV travel in the premium segment.
The ES9 itself represents the culmination of 11 years of NIO's engineering work. It features more than 40 industry-first technologies across six core capabilities: full-stack research and development, innovative supply chains, advanced manufacturing, lifecycle quality management, smart power systems, and comprehensive user services. Former basketball star Yao Ming, serving as the vehicle's Chief Experience Officer, shared his firsthand experience at the launch, lending credibility to a vehicle designed, as NIO frames it, for "leaders of a new era."
The numbers tell a story of unbridged space and thoughtful engineering. At 5,365 millimeters long with a wheelbase of 3,250 millimeters, the ES9 is the most spacious battery electric SUV developed in China. Inside, the cabin stretches 2,805 millimeters—the longest in its segment—offering over 1.5 meters of second-row legroom and more than 1 meter of headroom across all three rows. A 2-meter panoramic glass roof floods the interior with light, while 816 liters of storage capacity can accommodate six passengers and 13 suitcases, plus a 216-liter smart front trunk.
Where the ES9 truly distinguishes itself is in the details of its premium experience. The second-row zero-gravity executive seats feature a continuous 2.3-meter cushion surface paired with a 42-point full-body massage system. The cabin's liquid crystal smart-dimming windows transition in just 17 milliseconds, instantly creating privacy from light and sound. At the center sits NIO's original Executive Console—complete with dual 16-inch screens, a high-definition conferencing system, and a magnetic tea tray—transforming the vehicle into a mobile office or hospitality space.
Even the sound system speaks to NIO's commitment to premium detail: the LYRA 9.2.4.8 system integrates 47 speakers delivering up to 3,020 watts of rated power, creating what the company describes as an industry-leading acoustic experience.
Deliveries begin on May 28 in China. The Executive Premium Edition starts at RMB 498,000 without BaaS, the Executive Signature Edition at RMB 558,000, and the Horizon Edition—featuring hand-embroidered Su embroidery with nearly 400,000 stitches—at RMB 628,000. What NIO is banking on is clear: as the traditional compromises of electric vehicles disappear, the premium market's last barrier to full electrification dissolves too.