On September 20th， NIO officially launched its brand new flagship SUV， the NIO ES8. The vehicle is available in three models， with purchase prices ranging from 406，800 to 446，800 RMB. For consumers opting for the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model， the starting price is significantly more accessible， beginning at just 298，800 RMB， with battery leasing costs separate. This pricing strategy， particularly the BaaS option， aims to lower the initial barrier to entry for premium electric SUVs.
The redesigned ES8 retains NIO’s signature X-bar design language while introducing several enhancements. Notably， the daytime running lights now feature a dual-layer cut design， with eight illuminated elements on each side creating a brilliant， crystalline effect. The headlights are intelligent high-definition projection units capable of pixel-level clarity. These design updates contribute to a more sophisticated and modern aesthetic.
The new ES8 is offered in six exterior color options: Night Black， Cloud White， Polaris Blue， Aurora Gold， Stellar Green， and Nebula Grey， each inspired by celestial phenomena. This curated palette adds a touch of premium and thematic appeal to the vehicle’s customization.
The vehicle has undergone significant dimension upgrades. It measures 5280mm in length， 2010mm in width， and 1800mm in height， with a wheelbase of 3130mm. Compared to the previous generation， the new ES8 is 181mm longer， 21mm wider， and 50mm taller， with a 60mm increase in wheelbase， solidifying its position as a full-size SUV. These expanded dimensions translate directly to enhanced interior space and presence.
Inside， the steering wheel features a three-spoke design. The central infotainment display has transitioned from a vertical to a more conventional horizontal orientation， a layout common in many luxury vehicles. For improved ergonomics， the controls for the front seats have been relocated to the door panels.
The cabin adopts a spacious six-seat configuration. The front seats are capable of reclining a full 180 degrees， and when paired with the second-row seats， they create a completely flat， lounge-like seating area.
The ES8 is uniquely equipped with three “zero-gravity” seats in its class， including a luxurious ‘Queen’s Lounge’ front passenger seat and two independent rear seats. All these seats offer a maximum recline angle of 151 degrees. The rear ‘zero-gravity’ seat on the right side also features a lateral adjustment of up to 150mm， enhancing passenger comfort and flexibility.
The second row features a ceiling-mounted entertainment screen with an integrated Android system and voice control. This screen can link with the front displays， allowing rear passengers to easily control video playback and music through voice commands or the rear display panel located in the center console. This setup aims to provide a cinema-like entertainment experience for rear occupants.
A large refrigerator has also been integrated into the vehicle， completing the trio of premium features often referred to as “big refrigerator， big TV， big sofa.” A tray table is provided on the back of the front passenger seat for added convenience. Manual sunshades and privacy glass are incorporated for the second-row windows.
Thanks to its generous dimensions， the ES8 offers an impressive longitudinal passenger space of 2757mm in the cabin. This translates to a class-leading second-row legroom of 1407mm， providing ample comfort for passengers.
The cargo space is also exceptionally versatile. The combined front and rear trunk capacity reaches 777 liters， double that of many other 3-row SUVs in its class. This includes a substantial 547-liter rear trunk， a 132-liter underfloor storage compartment， and a 230-liter front trunk with sensing capabilities.
The third-row seats can be folded flat with a single touch via buttons located in the trunk. This transformation creates a massive， completely flat cargo area with a depth of 1410mm and a volume of 1561 liters， significantly enhancing the vehicle’s utility for carrying larger items.
Furthermore， the new ES8 boasts 41 storage compartments throughout the cabin. The vehicle supports all-scenario power supply. Both the front and rear trunks are equipped with 12V power outlets. A 220V socket is located in the central armrest console， and the vehicle is outfitted with a bidirectional AC charging port that supports external power output of up to 6kW.
In terms of driver assistance， the new ES8 features the advanced AQUILA super sensing system. This system comprises 31 sensing elements， including three LiDAR units， a forward-facing camera， and a 4D imaging radar. Powering these systems is NIO’s self-developed ‘Shenji’ NX9031 chip. This robust sensor suite is designed to enable sophisticated autonomous driving capabilities.
Among the key components of the AQUILA system are three high-precision LiDAR units: an ultra-long-range forward LiDAR with a detection distance of up to 500 meters， and dual wide-angle LiDARs providing a 120° field of view. This enhanced sensor hardware significantly boosts the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) performance.
NIO’s world model NWM intelligent safety assistance features include model-based intelligent safety assistance， model-based AEB (Autonomous Emergency Braking)， automatic emergency lane keeping， and emergency autonomous pull-over capabilities， including in the event of a tire blowout.
The NWM system also enables point-to-point all-scenario navigation assistance， covering complex environments such as parking lots， urban roads， highways， and charging scenarios. This comprehensive approach to navigation and assistance aims to provide a seamless and safe driving experience.
In terms of powertrain， the new ES8 features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. The front axle is equipped with a 180kW permanent magnet synchronous motor， while the rear axle uses a 340kW permanent magnet synchronous motor. This combination delivers a total system output of 520kW and 700N·m of torque， enabling a rapid 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 3.97 seconds.
All models come standard with a 102kWh battery pack， offering a CLTC range of up to 635 kilometers. Benefiting from a 900V high-voltage architecture， the vehicle boasts an impressive energy consumption of only 16.6 kWh per 100 kilometers， which is class-leading. The ES8 also supports 4C ultra-fast charging， allowing for an estimated 280 kilometers of range to be added in just ten minutes. For users who utilize NIO’s battery swapping service， a full battery can be obtained in approximately 3 minutes， providing exceptional convenience and minimal downtime.
