Nio ES8

The Nio ES8 is a battery electric full-size luxury crossover SUV manufactured by Chinese electric car company Nio. The ES8 was put into production in June 2018 for the Chinese market, and on 30 September 2021 it was launched in Norway.

First generation (2018–2023)

The first generation ES8 was first unveiled in December 2017 and production started in 2018. The name ES8 is derived from E means "Electric", S means "SUV", the ES8 is an SUV and 8 refers to its model range in Nio's Performance product range i.e., 1–9, "9" being the top of the range.

Nio tested the vehicle for thousands of kilometres in Yakeshi, Inner Mongolia, China and Australia to test the car's winter and summer economy and cold and hot temperature performance.

Nio is cooperating with a number of suppliers including Bosch.

Specifications

The ES8 is powered by a 70 kWh or 84 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (Upgraded to 100 kWh in 2019), that is also swappable.

The ES8 is a 6 or 7-seater full-size production car, with a wheelbase of 2,997 mm (118 in) and a body length of 5,022 mm (198 in). The body and chassis are completely aluminum (96.4%), and the drivetrain is all-wheel drive as standard, and also features active air suspension. The design includes the X-bar and Nio's signature "Spark Beat" taillights.

2020 facelift

In March 2020, a revised ES8 was released. It uses a combination of 160 kW (215 hp; 218 PS) permanent magnet and 240 kW (322 hp; 326 PS) induction magnet motors. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in 4.9 seconds and a NEDC range rating of up to 580 km (360 mi). From 2020, the digital cockpit was upgraded to a 9.8-inch display with an 11.3-inch high-definition multi-touch center display. The NOMI Mate 2.0 features an industry-first circular AMOLED display, with much larger active display area. Additionally, ES8 comes with a smart charging port cover and NFC key card. Euro NCAP confirmed a 5 star rating for the ES8 in September 2021.

Safety

Second generation (2023–2025)

The second generation Nio ES8 was unveiled during the Nio Day in December 2022 riding on the NT2.0 platform.

Specifications

The second generation model features a 180 kW (241 hp; 245 PS) front motor and a 300 kW (402 hp; 408 PS) rear motor reaching a combined maximum power output of 480 kW (644 hp; 653 PS) and 850 N⋅m (627 lb⋅ft) of torque. Acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) is just under 4.1 seconds. Three battery packs are available as well as a battery leasing program, with the 75kWh battery supporting a CLTC range of 465 km (289 mi), the 100kWh pack supporting a CLTC range of 605 km (376 mi), and the 150kWh pack supporting a CLTC range of 900 km (559 mi).

Third generation (2025–present)

The third generation ES8 was revealed through China's MIIT filings on 20 June 2025. It is codenamed Cetus and rides on the NT 3.0 platform, which it shares with the flagship Nio ET9. It will launch on 20 September 2025 at Nio Day 2025.

Exterior

Compared to its predecessor, the third generation model grew by 181 mm (7.1 in) in length, 21 mm (0.8 in) in width, and 50 mm (2.0 in) in height. Its design takes on a similar approach to the ET9 and the facelifted ES6 and EC6.

Interior

The ES8 is available in either 2+2+2 six-seater or 2+3+2 seven-seater configurations. The dashboard contains a 15.6-inch central infotainment display and a 38-inch AR-HUD serving as the instrument cluster.

Specifications

The third generation ES8 features a 180 kW (241 hp; 245 PS) front-mounted motor and a 340 kW (456 hp; 462 PS) rear-mounted motor for a total of 520 kW (697 hp; 707 PS) and 700 N⋅m (516 lb⋅ft) of torque, with the rear being 40 kW (54 hp; 54 PS) more than its predecessor. It achieves a 0–100 km/h (62 mph) time of 3.97seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph).

Sales

Two days after the launch of the third generation ES8 on 20 September 2025, production capacity for 2025 had sold out with estimated delivery dates reaching as far as March 2026, with an externally estimated 40,000 locked-in orders and 100,000 cancellable pre-orders. Deliveries of the third generation ES8 reached the 10,000 milestone on 31 October 2025, 20,000 on 29 November 2025, 30,000 on 18 December 2025, and 40,000 on 28 December 2025. Nio sold 22,258 ES8s in December 2025 alone.