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On January 6, 2026, NIO marked a significant milestone as its 1-millionth production vehicle rolled off the asembly line at its advanced manufacturing facility in Hefei, Anhui province. The event underscored the company's evolution from a startup to an established player in the premium electric vehicle market.
The milestone was propelled by a record-breaking year in 2025. NIO delivered 326,028 vehicles, a 46.9% increase from the previous year, with December deliveries hitting a new high of 48,135 units.
This growth was fueled by its multi-brand strategy. The flagship NIO brand, ONVO and Firefly brands contributed a combined momentum. Furthermore, growth is also powered by the payoff of sustained R&D investment, stronger product competitiveness, and the widening advantage of an energy system that lets users charge, swap and upgrade.
Despite this success, NIO's competitive landscape is intensifying. While its pure-electric focus has offered some insulation from direct competition with popular extended-range rivals like the AITO M9, it faces mounting pressure. Competitors such as Li Auto and Xiaomi are aggressively expanding their large SUV lineups.
Looking ahead, NIO has set ambitious goals for 2026: maintaining a 40%-50% sales growth rate and achieving full-year profitability on a non-GAAP basis. To drive this growth, the company plans a product offensive, including the launch of new flagship models like the large SUV ES9, ES7, and ONVOL80, and continues to expand its unique battery-swap station network.
The journey from its 500,000th to its 1-millionth vehicle took 17 months; NIO now aims to achieve the next million even faster.
*(Exchange rate: RMB 7.0 = USD 1)*
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