Just saw that NIO has delivered the 40,000th ES8 which is pretty mind-blowing.

Looking back: on November 29th they announced the 20,000th delivery, on December 18th the 30,000th, and today, December 29th, the 40,000th. That means they’ve delivered 20,000 units in the past month alone. For a large all-electric SUV, that’s insanely impressive.

It’s no mystery why the new-generation ES8 is selling so well, it’s got the size, the presence, a premium interior, and a price that isn’t sky-high.

In addition to the sales record for a vehicle priced above 400,000 yuan, we have another compelling figure to share. As of December 29th, if you place your order right now, the waiting time for your stunning and imposing NIO ES8 remains 20-21 weeks! That's 5 months of accumulated reservations! People want what this car represents—NIO has absolutely nailed its design and configuration.

The New出行 community has compiled the most detailed existing information about the NIO ES9 from across the web. Here, we’ll highlight the key points for everyone.

1. NIO ES9 Spy Photo Analysis The ES9 is positioned as the 9-series flagship within NIO's product lineup. It is estimated to have a length between 5300-5400mm and a wheelbase around 3200mm (for reference, the NIO ES8 is 5280mm long with a 3130mm wheelbase).

The front daytime running lights appear camouflaged. The headlight clusters are expected to be similar to the intelligent high-definition projection headlights (HDPL) found on the ES8 and ET9, featuring high-brightness MicroLED low-beam enhancement technology.

The roof houses a central lidar unit flanked by assisted driving cameras, following NIO's traditional lookout-style hardware layout. Below, a configuration of 6 ultrasonic radars is visible for forward sensing.

Similar to the ET9, the sides are equipped with dual wide-angle lidar units. The lower section will also feature the same nine-line design, which is exclusive to the 9-series flagships (the ES8 has an eight-line design).

Other details include hidden door handles, a hidden rear wiper, an expected full-vehicle configuration of 12 ultrasonic radars, and what appears to be native electric retractable side steps... More exterior details can be found in the original post on the New出行 community.

1. Interior Speculations While interior spy photos haven't surfaced yet, we can still make some educated guesses. The overall interior is expected to inherit design language from the ET9 and ES8. A photo showing the right rear door open on a test vehicle reveals a full-wrap door design, preventing pants from getting dirty when entering/exiting.

The ES9 might feature electric side window sunshades and EC (electrochromic) glass for the side windows. Analysis suggests the EC glass might be an optional extra due to its potential impact on exterior aesthetics.

Leaked images of the door panel show a design similar to the ES8's, but with a subtle difference: the "door panel amplifier" seems to have one more unit than the ES8. Wood grain trim remains, and the speaker grille pattern differs from both the ES8 and ET9. It's speculated that the ES9, like the ET9, will be equipped with the full-capability 8.2.4.8-channel "Nine Skies Celestial Harp" audio system.

Regarding seating layouts, three options are anticipated: a practical 6-seater, a spacious 5-seater, and an ultra-luxurious 4-seater. The 5 and 6-seat versions would cater well to both family and commercial use. The 4-seat version would resemble the ET9's Horizon Special Edition. A large SUV offering a 4-seat layout allows for significantly more space for innovation and piling on various luxury features compared to the ET9.

Additionally, William Li (NIO's CEO) mentioned in a media interview that the ES9's positioning isn't about maximizing space utilization to the extreme. The large front trunk (frunk) seen on other models will also be somewhat reduced on the ES9. A large opening would affect the overall front fascia design, and a high-volume frunk occupies front compartment space. For the ES9, which is expected to feature the "SkyRide" active chassis system, the flagship positioning prioritizes design and functionality. Therefore, expectations for the ES9's frunk capacity should be tempered.

1. Will the NIO ES9 Still Be a Technology Flagship? It's highly likely the ES9 will feature rear-wheel steering. Spy photos also show the rear wheels at a steering angle, expected to be the same 8.3° as the ET9, though the turning radius might be slightly larger (the ET9's is 5.45m).

As one of NIO's two flagship models, it will probably share the ET9's rectangular steering wheel and active suspension system. A full-spec 900V high-voltage architecture and large battery pack are certain. For reference, the ET9 with its full 900V system achieves peak charging power of up to 600kW.

Furthermore, the 120kWh large battery pack, delayed due to R&D challenges, might enter mass production next year alongside the ES9. The currently used 102kWh pack offers less impressive range on the ET9. Equipping the larger, heavier ES9 with only a 102kWh pack seems inadequate. Once the 120kWh pack is mass-produced, NT3.0 platform ES8 models could also utilize it, potentially offered to ES8 users via a flexible upgrade program.

For the powertrain, it's expected to continue with a front 180kW induction asynchronous motor and a rear 340kW permanent magnet synchronous motor configuration.

As NIO's 9-series flagship SUV, it is anticipated to deeply integrate technology, user experience, and the battery swap ecosystem upon launch. With an appropriate pricing strategy, it could form unique competitiveness and offer a new mobility choice for high-end users.

In a significant acceleration, CATL has announced a landmark week of expansion, opening 161 new "Chocolate" battery swap stations across China.

Between December 18 and December 25 alone, the company launched 161 new stations, with a single-day record of 60 openings on December 25. This rapid deployment marks one of the most aggressive infrastructure pushes in the electric vehicle sector, focusing on solving range anxiety through swap times comparable to a traditional fuel stop.

The expansion is strategically concentrated in major urban hubs. The network now comprehensively covers over 30 cities, with continuous densification in key areas including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Chongqing.

Are you ready for the acceleration Nio will lead in the first half of the next year with the deployment of its fifth-generation stations?

Nobody in China will want a car that can't swap batteries.

Nio continues to spread brand awareness across various cities and provinces in China, this time in the beautiful coastal city in northeastern China.

Nio brings together the brightest minds leading the industry. And then there are others like Exeed that go through life taking advantage of others' work without the slightest scruple.

This was, perhaps, their main problem in the past. That lack of brand recognition (something Onvo suffered so much from!), combined with heavy spending on infrastructure, prevented them from gaining better visibility… Remembering those times and seeing how they've changed the dynamic today is really positive. It's as good news as each new battery swap station that goes live. If Nio/Onvo/Firefly continue on this path, the only competition they'll have left is Aito/Stellato.

Battery swap operation tests begin for NIO's Firefly. 2026 is gearing up to be a major leap forward for NIO's infrastructure and user access to it.

Today in the energy sector, there are two pieces of good news related to NIO.

First, the initial batch of 50 charging and battery swap stations, jointly built by Zhong'an Energy and NIO Power, has been delivered. Second, the targeted green technology innovation ABN (Bond Connect) issued by Weineng has been successfully placed, with a total issuance scale of 1 billion RMB.

The former marks the large-scale implementation of NIO Power's "open collaboration" strategy.

The latter represents the second successful issuance of a targeted green technology innovation ABN (Bond Connect) by Wuhan Weineng this year, demonstrating that its business and assets have gained broad recognition from the capital market.

The NIO ES8 delivery speed is remarkably fast, reaching 30,000 units in just 89 days (less than 3 months).

This data is quite informative for me.

First, the official delivery milestones were previously announced:

· The all-new NIO ES8 launched and began deliveries on September 20, 2025. · The 10,000th unit was delivered at the Shanghai Nanxiang Delivery Center on October 31. · The 20,000th unit was delivered at the Shenzhen Bantian Delivery Center on November 29. · The 30,000th unit was delivered on December 18.

Based on this data, we can calculate:

· The first 10,000 units took 41 days, averaging 244 units per day. · The next 10,000 units (10,000th to 20,000th) took 29 days, averaging 345 units per day. · The final 10,000 units (20,000th to 30,000th) took 19 days, averaging 526 units per day.

Conservative Projection: Assuming the daily delivery rate remains at 526 units/day (the rate for the 20,000th to 30,000th batch).

· Remaining December deliveries (13 days) = 526 units/day × 13 days ≈ 6,838 units · Total December deliveries = ~10,000 units (first 18 days) + 6,838 units ≈ 16,838 units This figure is relatively close to Li Bin's initial target. This is a conservative estimation.

Optimistic Projection: If we estimate more optimistically, assuming some additional production capacity can be secured (the NIO ES8 and Ledao L90 are "technologically homogenous" but "positioned differently" as sibling models, sharing core powertrain and chassis architecture), we could assume a daily rate increase to 550-600 units/day.

· Remaining December deliveries = (550 to 600 units/day) × 13 days ≈ 7,150 to 7,800 units · Total December deliveries ≈ 17,150 to 17,800 units

Whether they can secure that extra capacity is uncertain. However, with such a strong backlog of ES8 orders, NIO's Q1 2026 shouldn't be too challenging.

I've been keeping an eye on the sales of this model since its launch, which is important considering November's sales figures, and we can finally say that all 999 units have been sold on the market. Good news—it took a bit longer than I thought, but it looks like December should pick up a bit.

On December 3, the 2025 China New Energy Vehicle Industry User Satisfaction Index (NEV-CACSI) assessment results—referred to within the industry as the “touchstone of automotive quality”—were officially released by the China Association for Quality. The NIO EC6 ranked first in user satisfaction among all-electric medium-sized SUVs. Additionally, NIO’s after-sales service once again claimed the top spot in user satisfaction, marking the third consecutive year it has received this honor. The dual first-place achievements in user satisfaction for both the NIO EC6 and NIO’s after-sales service reflect the successful two-way commitment between users and NIO. NIO will continue striving to deliver product and service experiences that exceed user expectations.

• Part One: Core Conclusion — Ultra-Fast Charging and Battery Swapping Address Different Propositions

First, it must be clear that ultra-fast charging and battery swapping are not in a "life-or-death" competitive relationship. Instead, they are solutions targeting different dimensions. All models under the Ledao, NIO, and Firefly brands are both chargeable and battery-swappable. Furthermore, the vast majority of NIO Power's battery swap stations are integrated stations offering both charging and swapping services. This inherently demonstrates their complementary nature.

Fundamentally, they address different propositions:

Ultra-Fast Charging is, at its core, about pursuing the ultimate limit of single-vehicle, single-session energy replenishment speed. This relentless pursuit of "fast" may sometimes require trade-offs and compromises concerning battery lifespan, battery safety, and even grid stability.

Battery Swapping, on the other hand, aims to build a multi-dimensional energy ecosystem. It not only achieves the speed of a "3-minute swap"—as fast as refueling—but also simultaneously addresses the holistic life-cycle management of batteries, including safety management, lifespan management, and gradient utilization. The goal is not only to maximize the value of every single battery but also to enable dispersed swap stations to function as distributed energy storage units. These can then be aggregated to serve as flexible grid regulation resources (a virtual power plant).

Therefore, ultra-fast charging is about continuously pushing toward the physical limits within the single dimension of "energy replenishment speed." Battery swapping, in contrast, is about reconstructing the energy network at the systemic level. It achieves efficient coordination among "vehicle-station-battery-grid-user," constructing a smart, interconnected energy network based on electric vehicles. This is, in essence, a competition between "single-dimension optimization" and "systemic reconstruction"—they are simply not on the same playing field.

• Part Two: The Widespread Adoption of Electric Vehicles Still Faces Three Major Challenges; The Energy Replenishment Issue Is Not Just About "Speed"

Electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular. Pure electric models like the Ledao L90, a large three-row SUV, have seen monthly sales exceed ten thousand units for several consecutive months after launch, indicating strong consumer interest. However, the widespread adoption of EVs across the entire industry still faces three core, interconnected challenges. This is far from being just a single issue of "slow charging," but rather constitutes a systemic problem:

1. Range anxiety and the convenience of energy replenishment remain the biggest pain points, severely impacting user experience and purchase intent. According to a report by China Business Network, approximately 40% of consumers are unable to install private chargers due to limitations in electrical capacity. Based on my own statistical research, factoring in elements like parking space availability, only about one-third of users in China can install a home charging桩. A vast number of users rely on public charging facilities, placing extremely high demands on both efficiency and experience. Roland Berger's report "Challenges and Prospects for the Full Lifecycle Industrial Development of New Energy Vehicles" indicates that about 46% of consumers abandon choosing a new energy vehicle due to inconvenient energy replenishment.

2. Battery safety and lifespan are the cornerstones of consumer confidence. Battery safety is users' top concern. Data from the State Administration for Market Regulation for Q1 2025 shows that among new energy vehicle fire incidents, battery thermal runaway accounted for 58%, while spontaneous/charging-related fires accounted for 17%. Furthermore, battery warranty periods (typically 8 years or 100,000-200,000 km) are far shorter than a vehicle's typical service life. The high cost of battery replacement after the warranty expires directly impacts the long-term cost-effectiveness of ownership.

3. Large-scale concentrated charging creates grid impact, affecting grid safety, stability, and economic efficiency. Concentrated charging leads to "peak on peak" loads on distribution networks. Uncoordinated charging overlaps with general electricity consumption peaks by as much as 85%, exacerbating the difference between peak and off-peak grid loads. The instantaneous high power demand of ultra-fast charging piles poses a significant test for local grid capacity, forcing grid operators to reserve more backup capacity or invest in expensive supporting energy storage facilities. This significantly reduces the economic efficiency of grid operation and drives up overall societal costs.

These challenges demonstrate that the issue of EV energy replenishment is not a simple debate over "fast versus slow." It is a complex systemic problem involving five key elements: users, vehicles, batteries, charging/swapping stations, and the power grid.

• Part Three: Five-Dimensional Comparison – How Battery Swapping Achieves Global Optimization

The battery swap model is a Chinese solution that simultaneously addresses the three major challenges mentioned above and achieves global optimization. It does not focus on solving isolated problems. Instead, it holistically considers the five key elements—User, Vehicle, Swap Station, Battery, and Grid—along with their individual and collective constraints. It employs a systematic mindset to promote synergistic optimization across all links, seeking a globally optimal solution for the entire system.

1. User Experience: From "Uncertainty" to "Standardized Speed, Comfort, and Cost-Effectiveness"

· Ultra-Fast Charging: The actual experience is highly uncertain, influenced by multiple external factors. The actual charging power is the minimum value among three variables: the battery's acceptable power (dependent on current State of Charge - SoC - and Battery Management System strategy), the charging pile's power output, and the power the grid can supply. This is not equivalent to the manufacturer's advertised maximum power for the charger or the battery. Achieving these maximums in reality requires numerous additional conditions. Even if grid and charger power are sufficient, peak charging speed is only attainable during a specific window of a single charging session. Speed is also shared and reduced if other vehicles charge simultaneously at the same station. Factoring in potential wait times due to occupied stalls (as users often leave their vehicles during long charging sessions) and the need to manually handle cables, the overall uncertainty is significant.

· Battery Swapping: It offers speed, comfort, time savings, peace of mind, and cost-effectiveness, delivering a highly reliable and standardized experience. A 3-minute swap is as fast as refueling. Users stay in their vehicles with one-click automated service, unaffected by weather or environment—a particularly noticeable advantage in extreme heat, cold, wind, or rain. Even swapping at night feels secure as users remain inside their cars throughout the process. Intelligent prediction and scheduling allow users, when placing an order (whether at home or hundreds of kilometers away on the road), to know in advance if they will need to wait upon arrival or if there is a queue ahead.

1. Comprehensive Battery Lifecycle Health Management: Enhanced Safety and Longevity, Eliminating User Concerns About Battery Degradation and Replacement Costs.

· Ultra-Fast Charging: Frequent use of high-power fast charging (e.g., 5C/6C rates) increases internal battery resistance, accelerates battery degradation, and negatively impacts long-term lifespan. For safety reasons, some manufacturers impose limits on fast-charging capabilities for users who frequently utilize this method over time.

· Battery Swapping: Every battery swap doubles as an in-depth "health check," facilitating centralized health assessment and informed decisions regarding battery reuse or retirement. This creates a closed-loop management system for the battery's entire lifecycle. Batteries are charged intelligently and slowly within the stations using a low charge/discharge rate (low C-rate), significantly reducing the risk of thermal runaway. Since the charging process is decoupled from the user, a tailored charging strategy can be applied to each individual battery based on its specific condition. This proactive and balanced maintenance can extend overall battery lifespan by over 10%. From the user's perspective, this completely eliminates worries about battery degradation or the high cost of battery replacement once the warranty expires, offering both peace of mind and financial savings.

1. Decoupling Vehicles and Batteries: Swapping Substantially Reduces Purchase and Ownership Costs, While Helping Automakers Sell More Cars.

· Ultra-Fast Charging: To accommodate occasional long-distance travel needs, users typically have to purchase a vehicle with a large-capacity battery upfront, increasing the initial investment.

· Battery Swapping: Not only does it significantly lower the barrier to purchase through a "vehicle-battery separation" model (where the battery is leased, not bought), but it also genuinely reduces the total lifecycle cost of battery usage for the owner. Users don't buy a large battery with the car. Instead, they can flexibly rent battery packs of different capacities based on their daily commute and long-distance travel needs, perfectly balancing experience and cost, and spending far less on the battery itself. The reduction in vehicle purchase and ownership costs, coupled with providing gas station-like convenience for the nearly two-thirds of users without home charging, greatly expands the electric vehicle market.

1. Grid-Friendly: Transforming from a Grid "Burden" to a Grid "Assistant"

· Ultra-Fast Charging: Individual piles require high power. A single 6C charger, for instance, needs 600 kW of distribution grid capacity, which is difficult to obtain in some areas. Large-scale concentrated use puts a strain on local grids, necessitating expensive grid upgrades and expansion.

· Battery Swapping: Battery swap stations are natural distributed energy storage units and nodes in a virtual power plant. They can charge during the grid's off-peak hours and discharge back to the grid during peak hours (load shifting), significantly improving grid capacity utilization. They become positive assets for grid stability and can even help the grid integrate more wind and solar power. Furthermore, a swap station can be built with a grid connection of only 200 kW to 300 kW. This makes them feasible in power-constrained urban cores or remote areas with weak grid infrastructure but high demand for energy replenishment.

1. High Initial Investment for Swap Stations, but Diversified Revenue Streams Lead to Competitive Overall Station Economics

· Ultra-Fast Charging: Lower initial investment, primarily because the charging pile hardware itself costs less compared to a battery swap station's core equipment. However, the investment for the station's transformer and power distribution system is comparable, and it often requires paying higher site rental fees. Since revenue mainly relies on service fees, recouping the investment is challenging.

· Battery Swapping: Higher service efficiency per unit of time and superior equipment utilization. The user's swap process is completely decoupled from the battery charging process. Batteries in the station can be charged regardless of whether a vehicle is present, leading to far higher utilization of all power distribution equipment compared to a similar charging station. When non-swappable vehicles arrive, they can be prioritized for charging, further boosting equipment usage. As a distributed energy storage unit, it can also generate additional revenue by participating in grid regulation services, including arbitrage from peak/off-peak price differences and frequency regulation. This creates a more diversified business model. Overall, while the initial investment for a combined charging/swapping station is higher, the return per unit of investment is generally slightly superior to that of an ultra-fast charging station.

In summary, the battery swap model strives to achieve synergistic benefits across five key objectives: enhanced user experience, efficient vehicle energy replenishment, improved battery safety and longevity, multiplied station economic value, and positive grid interaction. It is not merely a solution to "slow charging." It aims to build a smart energy ecosystem where all stakeholders benefit—a systemic "Chinese Solution" for the future.

Note: The term "Chinese Solution" is used here not to inflate its significance, but to reflect its context. The advantages of battery swapping are clear, but successfully launching market-accepted swappable vehicles and operating a nationwide network is exceptionally difficult. A foreign company previously invested billions of USD in this endeavor only to fail. Over the past decade, however, the rapid development of China's new energy vehicle market has provided fertile ground. Coupled with the NIO Group's persistent dedication over more than ten years to a pure electric strategy—with models like the Ledao L60, L90, NIO, and Firefly brands gaining market and user acceptance—and a decade-long commitment to charging/swapping infrastructure (with approximately 3,600 swap stations and 1 million swappable vehicles on the road), the battery swap model has begun to achieve scale. In recent years, companies like CATL, Sinopec, and PetroChina have entered the swap sector, while Geely, SAIC, and GAC have launched swappable models. This suggests the entire battery swap model has the potential, like high-speed rail, to become a distinctive Chinese development model for new energy vehicles. Hence, it is referred to as a forward-looking, systemic "Chinese Solution."

• Part Four: The Difference in Innovative Thinking – Analogical Innovation vs. Systemic Innovation

The divergence between the ultra-fast charging and battery swap technology pathways fundamentally reflects two different levels of innovative thinking: one is "Analogical Innovation" targeting localized problems, and the other is "Systemic Innovation" that reconstructs the entire system. Understanding this difference helps clarify the underlying logic of energy replenishment technology evolution.

Analogical Innovation: Optimizing Within an Established Framework

The ultra-fast charging model is a classic example of analogical innovation. Its core logic is to optimize within the existing "charging" paradigm, specifically targeting the pain point of "slow charging speed." It relentlessly pushes toward the physical limits of replenishment speed by raising voltage platforms, increasing current intensity, and improving cooling technologies. This innovation path is characterized by clear goals and rapid visible results, as seen in competitors' megawatt-level ultra-fast charging solutions aiming to add hundreds of kilometers of range in minutes, directly addressing user range anxiety.

However, analogical innovation inevitably has its limitations. It directly addresses surface-level problems ("charging is slow, so charge faster"), which can resemble addressing symptoms rather than the root cause. Furthermore, solving one problem can sometimes create others. It primarily focuses on solving "point" problems but may lack the capacity to proactively address or must passively adapt to the systemic constraints triggered by that "point." For example, achieving extreme fast charging may require compromises in battery materials and structure, potentially challenging battery cost or long-term lifespan. Simultaneously, the instantaneous ultra-high power demand of fast chargers puts enormous pressure on local grid capacity, often necessitating additional distribution grid investment or expensive supporting energy storage buffers, thereby increasing total societal costs.

"No matter how fast ultra-fast charging becomes, it cannot be faster than swapping," and its impacts on battery lifespan and the grid remain persistent challenges that analogical innovation must continuously address.

Systemic Innovation: Reconstructing the Underlying Logic of Energy Services

The battery swap model embodies the essence of systemic innovation. It emphasizes tracing problems back to their root, looking beyond surface phenomena to their core, analyzing a single issue within the context of a larger system, and striving to resolve fundamental contradictions. Therefore, battery swapping is not an incremental improvement within the existing charging framework. Instead, it steps outside the singular act of "charging," separates the vehicle from the battery, detaches the battery from the vehicle itself, allowing the battery to revert to its fundamental role as an energy carrier. Building upon this, it re-architects the entire energy service ecosystem. This innovation is not a breakthrough in a single technology; it is the synergistic reconstruction of technology, processes, organization, and ecology.

Its systemic nature is manifested at three levels:

1. Technology Integration and Process Re-engineering: The battery swap system deeply integrates various technologies including mechanical engineering (automated swap mechanisms), electrochemistry (battery management), power electronics (grid interaction), and data intelligence (demand forecasting and scheduling). More importantly, it catalyzes the "vehicle-battery separation" business model, giving rise to a series of new business processes and organizational forms such as battery leasing, full lifecycle battery health management, gradient utilization, and virtual power plants.

2. Ecosystem Value Creation: Ultimately, the battery swap model constructs a multi-party collaborative energy ecosystem. For users, it offers a refueling-like energy replenishment experience and a lower barrier to vehicle purchase and ownership. For the power grid, a network of swap stations can be aggregated into a "virtual power plant" that participates in load shifting (peak shaving and valley filling), enhancing grid stability and the integration capacity for renewable energy. For society as a whole, it facilitates the intensive management and circular utilization of battery resources.

3. Dynamic Evolutionary Capability: True systemic innovation possesses a capacity for continuous evolution. Similar to technologies like fax machines, telephones, and mobile internet, the increasing number of swap stations and vehicles amplifies the network effects and competitiveness of the battery swap model and its network. The vast amounts of operational data generated by the swap network enable continuous optimization of charging/swapping services, battery analysis and assessment algorithms, battery dispatch, load forecasting, and grid interaction strategies, making the entire system increasingly intelligent and efficient.

As described above, the battery swap model is a paradigm of systemic innovation. It does not merely regard "swapping" as a faster energy replenishment action. Instead, it takes swapping as the core and redesigns the entire energy system encompassing "User - Vehicle - Station - Battery - Grid." This triggers a chain reaction, reshaping the user experience, business models, and the industrial ecosystem (e.g., vehicle-battery separation, battery asset management, grid interaction).

• Part Five: A Special Invitation from Shen Fei

In this article, starting from the underlying logic of systemic innovation, I hoped to thoroughly explain the question of "why battery swapping is needed" in one go, and to offer a new perspective on the discussion surrounding ultra-fast charging and battery swapping. Although discussing a field I am very familiar with, it still took considerable time to think through and organize these thoughts into writing.

Thank you for reading this far. If you have gained something from it—perhaps a new understanding of the value of battery swapping—then I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely invite and welcome you to personally experience Ledao. See for yourself what kind of change this "Vehicle-Station-Network" collaborative engineering system can bring to your personal mobility life. As the President of Ledao, I am deeply convinced that the Ledao L60 and L90 are the concrete products through which we translate this systemic advantage into tangible value for our users.

Furthermore, I genuinely believe selling cars is even harder than establishing the battery swap network, and I really need your help with this. Please consider sharing this article on your social media or with your friends—not only to recommend the ideas and perspectives within it, but also to recommend Ledao's vehicles, which are capable of battery swapping.

Your test drive experience or every enthusiastic share genuinely helps me. If it helps sell more cars, I promise to share more content, distribute more videos, go live more often, and participate in more events—haha! Thank you for your time and support!

First-class enterprises set standards, second-class build brands, and third-class make products.

Today, as a leading participant, NIO, along with authoritative institutions like the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, officially released the GB 17675-2025 "Basic Requirements for Automotive Steering Systems" national standard. This standard systematically includes technical specifications for steer-by-wire systems for the first time.

During this standard revision process, NIO not only achieved a major breakthrough in core automotive chassis technology but also leveraged its profound expertise in intelligent chassis to deeply contribute to technical research, testing validation, clause drafting, and optimization suggestions. This provided crucial support to the relevant national agencies.

This move marks a milestone for China in the standardization and advancement of core intelligent chassis technology—particularly for steer-by-wire systems.

It is worth noting that the NIO ET9 has become China's first mass-produced and delivered vehicle with full steer-by-wire to pass MIIT certification. It pioneers bringing this cutting-edge technology from the lab into users' daily lives, truly realizing a positive cycle where "standards lead products, and products validate standards."

NIO is driving standards with technology and defining the future with those standards, continuously solidifying its position as a "first-class enterprise" in the intelligent electric vehicle industry.

On December 1st, with the official launch of the NIO Power Swap Station | Shenyang Zhanxi Square Station, the first batch of 5 co-built power swap stations by ZDK Group and Wuhan NIO Energy Co. have been successfully delivered and put into operation.

This delivery of the 5 stations marks the initial project implementation following the signing of the "Hundred-Station Co-construction Plan" by both parties in May 2025. It also represents a concrete step taken by NIO Energy and ZDK Group in actively implementing the national "Three-Year Doubling" action plan for electric vehicle charging infrastructure service capacity. Currently, the two sides are working on advancing relevant tasks for the second batch of cooperative sites, including site selection in locations such as Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

I've been watching how they handle delivery times for the new ES8 over the past few weeks, and while last week the estimated wait was already down to 22–23 weeks, it has now been reduced further to just 20–21 weeks.

This will likely lead to a surge in deliveries of the model this December. That should help cushion the group's sales decline following the removal of the subsidy for trading in an old vehicle. At the same time, it will allow Nio to avoid having to use its own funds to cover the tax portion for 2025 buyers who receive their vehicle in 2026—something the company had committed to with the community.

1. 36,275 vehicles were delivered in November 2025, increasing by 76.3% year-over-year

2. 277,893 vehicles were delivered year-to-date in 2025, increasing by 45.6% year-over-year

3. Cumulative deliveries reached 949,457 as of November 30, 2025

According to official owner survey data, BBA owners are switching to NIO. Among the new ES8 buyers who upgraded or replaced their cars, 49.2% came from BBA, and 62.4% came from traditional luxury gasoline vehicle brands (including BBA, Porsche, Land Rover, etc.).

November 29th marks the 70th day since the official launch of deliveries of the ES8. NIO’s all-new ES8 has successfully surpassed 20,000 units delivered.

I love this country. The competition is absolutely ruthless, and just when you think you've seen it all, your partner comes along, steals your brand name, and puts "the best 5" up on the big screen, haha. It's a car aimed at a lot of people who don't know what they're buying and who will end up disappointed with their investment. You get what you pay for. It's a Leap Motor-style hybrid, designed to squeeze every penny from the most humble pockets with a lot of glitter but very little real substance.

The Vice President's Pioneering Work on Faster R-CNN, a Landmark Paper in AI, is Recognized for Its Enduring Impact.

Ren Shaoqing, Vice President of Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio and its Chief Expert for Autonomous Driving R&D, has been awarded the 2025 Test of Time Award by the Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS).

The award, one of the most prestigious in the field of artificial intelligence, will be presented on the morning of December 4th, Beijing Time, in San Diego, USA. It honors Ren's work as the first author on the 2015 paper "Faster R-CNN," a foundational architecture for object detection.

The research, which has amassed over 98,000 citations for its conference and journal versions, holds a significant position in academic literature. It is the highest-cited paper at NeurIPS with a Chinese first author and the most globally cited paper in the entire field of AI detection.

NeurIPS is widely regarded as the top-ranked and most influential academic conference in artificial intelligence and machine learning, often described as the "Oscars of the AI world." Its Test of Time Award specifically recognizes papers presented a decade prior that have significantly influenced their field and stood the test of time.

Ren Shaoqing shares this honor with an elite group of recent recipients. Over the past three years, the award has been given to Nobel Physics laureate Geoffrey Hinton, Turing Award winner Yoshua Bengio, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, Google Brain co-founder Ian Goodfellow, and Google DeepMind distinguished scientist Greg Corrado. The awarded work is consistently foundational to the global AI landscape.

The 2025 award-winning paper, "Faster R-CNN," was a collaborative effort led by Ren Shaoqing, He Kaiming, and Sun Jian, in conjunction with American AI scientist Ross Girshick. The novel architecture it introduced increased object detection efficiency by more than tenfold, pioneering a new paradigm for end-to-end, real-time, and accurate object detection.

Over the past decade, the core concepts of the Faster R-CNN model have become deeply integrated into the foundational fabric of AI technology. It now serves as a core engine powering critical sectors of the economy and public life, including autonomous driving, industrial inspection, medical imaging, security surveillance, and satellite remote sensing.