Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer NIO has produced its one-millionth vehicle at its Factory Two facility in Hefei, Anhui Province. The milestone, reached just over seven years after the company delivered its first production vehicle, positions NIO among the leading premium EV manufacturers globally.
Highlights
- NIO produced its 1,000,000th vehicle at Factory Two in Hefei, spanning three brands: NIO, ONVO, and firefly
- The company has invested RMB 65 billion in R&D and RMB 18 billion in charging and battery swapping infrastructure
- NIO operates 8,541 charging stations and Power Swap Stations in China, completing over 96 million battery swaps
- New partnerships with Chery Automobile, JAC Motors, and Lontium Semiconductor aim to expand industrial collaboration
From Startup to Scale
Founded in late 2014, NIO delivered its first Founders’ Edition ES8 in 2018. The company has since expanded its portfolio to include eight premium models under the NIO brand, two vehicles under the ONVO brand, and one model under the firefly brand.
As of December 31, 2025, NIO had delivered 997,592 vehicles cumulatively. The company leads the premium battery electric vehicle segment priced above RMB 300,000 in China.
Infrastructure Investment Supports Growth
NIO has committed substantial capital to its charging and battery swapping network. The RMB 18 billion infrastructure investment has resulted in 8,541 stations across China, with cumulative battery swaps exceeding 96 million.
The company targets aggressive expansion, aiming to operate more than 10,000 charging stations and 10,000 battery swapping stations by 2030.
Technology Development
NIO has invested RMB 65 billion in technology research and development, building capabilities across 12 core smart EV technology domains under its NIO Full Stack initiative. The company has filed for and obtained over 9,900 patents as of November 2025.
R&D centers and manufacturing facilities operate in more than 10 locations worldwide:
- Shanghai, Hefei, Beijing, and Nanjing in China
- San Jose in the United States
- Munich and Oxford in Europe
- Budapest, Singapore, and Abu Dhabi
Industry Context
China’s new energy vehicle production is projected to exceed 15 million units in 2025. Industry analysts expect Chinese automakers to surpass Japanese brands in global vehicle sales for the first time.
Fu Bingfeng, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, noted that NIO has contributed significantly to the transformation of China’s automotive industry through technological innovation and premium brand development.
Strategic Outlook
William Li, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NIO, characterized the milestone as the beginning of the company’s third development stage, with high-quality growth as the primary objective.
NIO announced partnership agreements at the milestone event. The company signed a framework agreement with Chery Automobile and JAC Motors to co-develop an automotive innovation platform. A separate vehicle-chip industrialization partnership was established with Lontium Semiconductor Corporation.
The millionth vehicle, an All-New ES8 in Nebula Green, was donated to the Micius Quantum Foundation in Anhui to support mobility for quantum science researchers. NIO also unveiled the ET9 Milestone Edition to commemorate the achievement.
NIO maintains sales and service operations across 10 countries and regions, including China, Europe, the Middle East, and the Greater Caucasus, serving customers in more than 350 cities.
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