NIO launched the NIO ES9, its flagship executive SUV, with pricing starting at RMB 498,000 (about $73,500) or RMB 390,000 (about $57,600) under the company’s Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) subscription plan. Deliveries began May 28, 2026, in China. The six-seat SUV is offered in three editions and carries more than 40 technologies the company describes as industry firsts.
Highlights
- Three editions priced from RMB 498,000 to RMB 628,000 (about $73,500 to $92,700), with BaaS pricing from RMB 390,000 (about $57,600)
- Up to 385 miles (620 km) of reported range on a 900V high-voltage architecture with 5C ultra-fast charging and 3-minute battery swapping
- Largest battery electric SUV developed in China, per NIO, at 211.2 inches (5,365 mm) long with a 128.0-inch (3,250 mm) wheelbase
- 0–62 mph (0–100 km/h) in 4.3 seconds, with a 17.7-foot (5.4 m) turning radius enabled by rear-wheel steering
How Much Does the NIO ES9 Cost?
| Edition | Full Purchase Price | BaaS Price |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Premium | RMB 498,000 (~$73,500) | RMB 390,000 (~$57,600) |
| Executive Signature | RMB 558,000 (~$82,400) | RMB 450,000 (~$66,400) |
| Horizon | RMB 628,000 (~$92,700) | RMB 520,000 (~$76,800) |
The Horizon Edition is available in two exterior themes, Dawncrest and Starscape, and features an interior inspired by traditional Chinese landscape painting, with Su embroidery worked into a rivers-and-mountains motif using nearly 400,000 stitches.
The launch follows NIO’s pattern of pairing flagship hardware with its swap-station network, an approach the company has scaled through its battery-swapping partnership with CATL. NIO plans to deploy more than 1,000 new Power Swap Stations this year and says it will begin large-scale rollout of its fifth-generation stations in the third quarter.
Space and Cabin
NIO reports the ES9 has the longest cabin in its segment at 110.4 inches (2,805 mm), with more than 59 inches (1.5 m) of second-row legroom and over 39 inches (1 m) of headroom across all three rows. Cargo capacity totals 28.8 cubic feet (816 liters) — enough for six passengers and 13 suitcases, according to the company — plus a 7.6-cubic-foot (216-liter) front trunk. Smart power doors and ultra-wide side steps are standard across the lineup.
Second-row zero-gravity executive seats feature a 7.5-foot (2.3 m) continuous cushion surface and a 42-point full-body massage system. NIO describes the array-based liquid crystal smart dimming windows, which transition in 17 milliseconds, as a world first. An Executive Console at the center of the cabin integrates dual 16-inch screens, a high-definition conferencing system, and a magnetic tea tray.
The LYRA 9.2.4.8 Sound System carries 47 speakers and up to 3,020W of rated power, with diamond dome tweeters the company says are an industry first. Active Road Noise Cancellation and more than 150 wind-noise optimizations are standard, and the system is certified by three Dolby technologies.
Intelligence and Driver Assistance
The ES9 runs on the NX9031, which NIO describes as the first 5 nm automotive-grade smart driving chip, paired with the AI-powered NIO OS operating system and an upgraded NOMI assistant. Cedar AQUILA Super Sensing, standard across the lineup, integrates 31 sensing units. The NIO WorldModel-powered system now handles dynamic traffic conditions such as tidal and reversible lanes through Navigate on Pilot Plus (NOP+).
NIO’s chief experience officer for the ES9, former NBA star Yao Ming, presented his experience with the vehicle at the launch event.
What Safety Systems Does the ES9 Include?
The ES9 uses a super cage body design with up to 12 airbags standard. NIO says it offers the industry’s first model-based Automatic Emergency Braking and Automatic Emergency Steering, plus omnidirectional collision mitigation that can raise the vehicle body within 0.7 seconds ahead of an impact. The company cites seven layers of safety redundancy spanning powertrain, braking, steering, sensing, computing, communication, and power distribution.
Chassis and Performance
The SkyRide Intelligent Chassis is built around what NIO calls the world’s first 48V integrated hydraulic fully active suspension, which the company says has been in mass production for over a year. The system incorporates China’s first mass-produced steer-by-wire system certified by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and rear-wheel steering yields a 17.7-foot (5.4 m) turning radius.
The 900V architecture supports 5C ultra-fast charging and 3-minute battery swapping, with NIO reporting up to 385 miles (620 km) of range. The figure reflects the manufacturer’s test cycle rather than EPA methodology, which typically yields lower estimates for the US market. The ES9 follows the ET9 sedan and All-New ES8 in NIO’s flagship lineup refresh.
“As the culmination of NIO’s 11-year systemic innovation, the NIO ES9 created the smart electric flagship executive SUV category, setting a new benchmark in the segment,” said William Li, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NIO.
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