In an era where products, technology, and specifications are becoming increasingly homogeneous, the comprehensive capabilities represented by a brand are becoming the key factor in consumer purchasing decisions. Competition among automakers is shifting towards original design, core technology, service systems, and brand essence. A fundamental change is occurring in user mindset; from those born before the 1980s to the post-2000 generation, expectations for the car-buying experience are constantly rising, moving from "efficiency first" to "emotion and value first." What users want is not the car with the best specs on paper. In a time of technological convergence, the only thing that cannot be replicated is the emotional connection and trust equity a brand builds in the hearts of its users.
A recent report titled "H1 2026 New Energy Vehicle Brand Health Study" by Jalan Consulting validates this trend. The report shows that NIO brand, with a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 81.9, has become the top premium new energy brand users are most willing to recommend, and is the only brand in this period with an NPS exceeding 80 points. Since the release of the Jalan Consulting New Energy Vehicle Brand Health Study in the first half of 2025, NIO has seen its ranking rise for three consecutive reporting periods. In the market for vehicles priced above 300,000 yuan, NIO scores highly on the "hundred-person favorability index." Relying on consistently leading product competitiveness and brand appeal, NIO has established itself as the most representative premium new energy brand in consumers' minds.
Multiple authoritative third-party data sources have already provided cross-validation. The customer experience landscape is increasingly diverging between new energy vehicle and traditional energy vehicle buyers, with premium new energy brands setting new experience benchmarks while mainstream traditional energy brands face comprehensive pressure. NIO's brand advantage lies in its full-funnel appeal to high-end users—particularly concentrated at three key conversion touchpoints: "in-store viewing," "test drives," and "user follow-up." This precisely covers the core decision-making journey from "awareness" to "decision."
In the J.D. Power 2026 China Purchase Experience Index (PXI) study, NIO became the dual champion in both the premium new energy and domestic new energy segments. With a score of 827 points, it surpassed Land Rover's 815 points to become the top brand for experience among all premium brands, regardless of energy form. Furthermore, in the Jalan Consulting H1 2025 Brand Health Study, NIO was one of the few new automaker brands positioned within the premium brand echelon, benchmarking against Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi. In the Jalan Consulting 2026 New Energy After-Sales Service study, NIO achieved a commanding first place with a 36.6% user mention rate.
The Ultimate Moat is Brand Value
The Chinese automotive market in 2026 is undergoing an unprecedented adjustment. Data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) shows that retail sales of passenger vehicles in the first half of the year totaled 8.701 million units, a year-on-year decrease of 20.2%; industry profit margins fell to a low of 3.2%. Over 600 new models flooded the market, but the vast majority faded into obscurity shortly after launch. NIO founder William Li stated frankly at the 2026 China Automotive Chongqing Forum that 2026 is the most brutally competitive and deeply adjusting phase in the development of the automotive industry.
The Chinese auto market is transitioning from a "brand chaos period" to a "brand clarification period"—technology roadmaps are converging, product hardware homogenization is intensifying, and user decision-making is returning to brand value and long-term experience. The "2026 McKinsey China Auto Consumer Insights" report indicates that the brand factor's ranking in purchase decisions has jumped from fifth place in 2025 to second place in 2026.
NIO has, for a decade, adhered to a philosophy of "building solid fortifications and fighting tenacious battles." Relying on leading product experience, service systems, and user reputation, it has continuously solidified its premium brand perception, becoming an undisputed luxury benchmark in the new energy era. True premium status never follows trends; under the advantage of its long-term, systematically built capabilities, the intrinsic value of NIO's brand is gradually being realized, validated by the industry, the market, and users alike.
In June, NIO brand delivered 21,908 vehicles, a year-on-year increase of 50.1%. Cumulative deliveries for the first half reached 119,488 units, a record high representing 60.5% year-on-year growth. The average transaction price reached 443,000 yuan—rising from 390,000 yuan in Q1 to 382,000 yuan in May, and reaching 443,000 yuan in June. This upward price trajectory goes against the overall market downturn and has surpassed the levels of Mercedes-Benz (417,000 yuan) and BMW (341,000 yuan) in China during the same period. In Shanghai, the Yangtze River Delta region, and first-tier cities, NIO's market share has already surpassed that of traditional premium brands.
In 2026, as the Chinese automotive industry undergoes significant transformation with intensified overall market competition and ongoing industry adjustments, NIO brand's sales in the first half of the year maintained stable growth, leading the industry. It is one of the few mainstream automakers among new energy brands to achieve both "volume and price increases," further validating NIO's long-term strategy and brand value.
The Golden Era for Large Three-Row Pure Electric SUVs Has Arrived
The NIO ES8 has undergone three generations of evolution. From the first generation, which emerged unexpectedly and was "not widely favored," to today where it is undoubtedly the sales champion in the 400,000-yuan-plus large SUV segment. The upcoming ES8 five-seater version is set to lead the large five-seater market into the pure electric era.
Judging by market performance, the ES8 achieved the milestone of 120,000 deliveries within 275 days of starting deliveries, and has remained the "Top 1 seller across all categories above 400,000 yuan" for six consecutive months (data sources: Dongchedi, Autohome sales data)—regardless of energy form, vehicle class, or body style. In the era of internal combustion engine vehicles, the market above 400,000 yuan was the absolute domain of German premium brands (BBA). Today, market share is the ultimate validation of NIO's brand appeal.
CPCA data for May shows that the NIO ES8, ES9, and ET9 accounted for 30.2% of the high-end market above 400,000 yuan—meaning one out of every three consumers purchasing a high-end model above 400,000 yuan chose a NIO. This successfully shakes up the market structure long dominated by traditional premium brands and leads the Chinese high-end large three-row pure electric SUV market.
Upon its launch, the ES8 five-seater version will carry forward the flagship momentum, further expanding the ES8's market coverage. The ES8 five-seater version fully inherits the flagship product strength, full-stack self-developed technological capabilities, and comprehensive NIO Power service system of the six/seven-seat versions. It will bring the flagship recognition and market reputation accumulated by the ES8 over the long term into the high-end large five-seater market, driving rapid momentum for the new variant.
After launch, the ES8 five-seater version, together with the six/seven-seat versions, will form a complete product matrix covering the two core segments of "high-end large five-seater" and "high-end large three-row," further expanding the ES8's user coverage in the 400,000-yuan-plus large SUV market and consolidating its dominant position in the 400,000-yuan-plus high-end large SUV segment.
Decade-Long Perseverance Yields Results for the Long-Term
"Daring to imagine and act, staying grounded"—this has always been the foundational color of the NIO brand. NIO adheres to a long-term philosophy, building its moat with six major systematic innovation advantages: full-stack R&D, innovative supply chain, advanced manufacturing, full lifecycle quality, smart energy services, and full-scenario vehicle usage services. Each one is the result of time and disciplined execution. Specifications can be caught up to, configurations can be copied, but systemic capabilities cannot be achieved overnight.
This systematic barrier, which cannot be quickly replicated, is not only NIO's confidence in navigating industry cycles but also the foundation for defining a "premium brand" in the new energy era. The definition of "premium" in the new energy era is being redefined by NIO.
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