All-New NIO ES8 Upgrade: Six Seats or Seven? Is the Range Enough?
On August 21, NIO officially opened pre-sales for the third-generation NIO ES8, a premium mid-to-large electric SUV. With its extended wheelbase of 3130 mm, the ES8 now comes in both six-seat and seven-seat configurations. Pricing starts at ¥416,800 (approx. $57,000), and the model is expected to officially launch during NIO Day in late September.
This upgrade brings a new design language, a 100 kWh battery pack, and impressive fast-charging capabilities—just 5 minutes of charging can deliver 250 km of range.
Catalog
📏 Dimensions & Exterior Design
The new NIO ES8 measures 5280 mm in length, 2010 mm in width, and 1800 mm in height, with a 3130 mm wheelbase.
Adopts the latest “Design for Success” language
Features a closed front grille and split headlights
Offers three welcome lighting effects
Equipped with HDPL intelligent projection headlights and Light Carpet 2.0 for enhanced road illumination, lane change guidance, and lane departure warnings
Front trunk (frunk) design similar to the ONVO L90, with convenient luggage access
At the rear, the ES8 is fitted with a through-type taillight strip made of 600 LEDs plus 480 SuperRed LEDs, framed with chrome trim for a refined look.
🛋 Interior & Comfort
The interior follows the same luxury approach as the NIO ET9:
16.4-inch central screen paired with a 38-inch AR-HUD replacing the traditional instrument cluster
A 48-inch “Skyline Screen” on the roof, showing navigation and entertainment content
Premium leather upholstery with real wood trim
Zero-gravity seats for front passenger and second row, reclining up to 151 degrees
Practicality is also strong:
547L trunk space (expandable to 3230L with seats folded)
Hidden 132L storage compartment
230L front trunk, large enough for multiple 28-inch suitcases
Adaptive air suspension adjustable from 165 mm to 215 mm, with an Easy Entry mode lowering by 50 mm for easier boarding
🤖 Advanced Driver Assistance
High-level driver assistance is a key selling point:
Powered by NIO’s in-house Shenji NX9031 chip
Incorporates the NIO World Model (NWM)
Equipped with top-mounted LiDAR, dual wide-angle LiDARs on front fenders, 4D imaging radar, binocular cameras, side and corner cameras
Assistance hardware aligns with NIO’s flagship ET9
⚡ Performance & Powertrain
The ES8 runs on a 900V architecture with dual motors:
Front motor: 180 kW, 300 N·m
Rear motor: 340 kW, 400 N·m
Total output: 520 kW, 700 N·m
0–100 km/h in just 3.97 seconds
🔋 Range & Charging
Standard 102 kWh battery pack
CLTC range: 635 km
Fast charging up to 600 kW → adds 250 km in just 5 minutes
🏆 Market Competition
As a large all-electric SUV, the all-new NIO ES8 should be benchmarked against models like the soon-to-be-launched AITO M8 EV and the already-available AITO M9 EV. However, in recent days, China’s new energy vehicle market has seen a surge of mid-to-large SUVs entering the scene. In addition to the AITO M8 EV, models such as the Zeekr 9X, SAIC H5, and the new Voyah Courage will all begin presales or official sales next week. The current market landscape remains highly uncertain, and the official launch price of the NIO ES8 in September may drop even further. We will continue to follow the developments closely.
Please explore our blog for the latest news and offers from the EV market.
