NIO has reached a major production milestone with the rollout of its one-millionth vehicle, underscoring the rapid growth and technological maturity of China’s smart electric vehicle ecosystem. Founded in late 2014, NIO has built an end-to-end capability spanning vehicle research and development, design, manufacturing, sales and user services.
From the launch of the NIO Founders’ Edition ES8 in 2018 to achieving cumulative production of one million vehicles across its three brands—NIO, ONVO, and firefly—the company has emerged as a key force in shaping China’s next-generation EV industry.
To commemorate the milestone and support innovation in frontier technologies, NIO donated its one-millionth vehicle—an All-New NIO ES8 finished in Nebula Green—to the Micius Quantum Foundation in Anhui. The vehicle will provide mobility support to leading researchers and experts in quantum science. Alongside this, NIO also unveiled the ET9 Milestone Edition, created to honour innovators and contributors across diverse industries.
Beyond being a company achievement, the milestone reflects the broader rise of China’s smart electric vehicle sector. New energy vehicle production in China is expected to exceed 15 million units in 2025, with Chinese automakers projected to surpass Japanese brands in global vehicle sales for the first time. As a result, China is rapidly transitioning from a large-scale manufacturing base into a global automotive innovation powerhouse.
Fu Bingfeng, Executive Vice President and Secretary General of the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), addressed the event: “As a leading representative of China’s EV startups, NIO has gained valuable experience in technological innovation and premium brand development, making significant contribution to the transformation and upgrading of China’s automotive industry. Today, the rollout of NIO’s 1,000,000th production vehicle is more than a milestone in scale. It stands as a vivid testament to NIO’s long-term commitment to innovation, brand excellence, and user service, as well as the continued advancement of China’s NEV industry in technology and brand.”
Behind this growth lies not only scale and speed, but also a spirit of bold vision paired with disciplined action. Guided by the spirit of “Vision, Action,” NIO has invested RMB 65 billion in technology research and development, building systematic capabilities across 12 core smart EV technologies. In charging and battery swapping infrastructure, NIO has invested RMB 18 billion, establishing 8,541 charging stations and Power Swap Stations in China, delivering over 96 million battery swaps cumulatively. These long-term investments are now translating into tangible user value and sustained competitive advantage.
“One million vehicles is a new starting point. NIO is entering its third stage of development, with high-quality growth as the core objective,” said William Li, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NIO. “Looking ahead, we will continue investing across our 12 full-stack technology capabilities to maintain leadership in both technology and products. We remain committed to infrastructure development, aiming to exceed 10,000 charging and battery swapping stations each by 2030. We will further strengthen synergy across our three brands, expand market share in each segment, and maintain annual volume growth of 40% to 50%. While deepening our presence in China, we will also expand globally in a more steady and efficient manner, bringing leading smart electric mobility experiences to users worldwide and shaping a sustainable and brighter future.”
At the event, NIO signed a framework agreement with Chery Automobile and JAC Motors on co-building an automotive innovation platform, and also signed into a vehicle-chip industrialization partnership with Lontium Semiconductor Corporation, further fostering an open, collaborative, and win-win industrial ecosystem.
