NIO’s 2026 ES8 Five-Seater Rolls Out and Keeps Deliveries Climbing

Just weeks after its July 9 launch, NIO’s five-seat ES8 is already helping the broader third-generation model push past 130,000 cumulative deliveries. Production of the larger three-row versions began late last September. The new two-row layout arrived on July 10 and has given the nameplate fresh energy after a softer June.

Buyers have two options: the Executive Premium, which costs 382,800 yuan, and the Executive Signature, which costs 422,800 yuan. However, if you choose Battery-as-a-Service, the rates drop significantly to 274,800 and 314,800 yuan, respectively. If you place your order before the end of July, you’ll receive a pretty sweet bundle that includes five years of NIO’s NOP+ driving assistance, an interior comfort package, lengthier warranties, and lifetime roadside service.



From the outside, the five-seater ES8 has the same confident lines as the present ES8, measuring 5,280 mm long, 2,010 mm wide, and 1,800 mm tall on a 3,130 mm wheelbase. The signature X-Bar front fascia and Double-Dash daytime running lights remain. You may also choose from seven exterior colors, and if you wish, you can add some optional darker trim to give it a little edge. The good news is that the body weighs around 260 kg less than all other cars in the same size class, making driving more enjoyable while also saving you money on fuel.


A pair of electric motors operate on a full-domain 900-volt system. The combined power is 520 kW and 700 Nm, which is enough to accelerate you to 100 km/h in 3.97 seconds and reach a top speed of 220 km/h. A basic 102 kWh battery will provide you with a reasonable 655 km on the CLTC cycle, and NIO’s battery swap service allows you to swap it out for a full battery in roughly three minutes, anywhere in China. If you want to plug it in, quick DC charging is also available at high speeds.


Inside, the ES8 truly shines, as removing the third row leaves you with a whopping 7.05 square meters of play space, the largest in its class. Of course, the front seats are rather swanky, with zero-gravity reclining, 20-way power adjustment, and motorized leg rests. Recline, power leg supports, and footrests are also available in the second row, and all seats include heating, ventilation, and multi-point massage. A four-zone system regulates temperature, and an 8.8-liter refrigerated drawer is conveniently located. Active road noise cancellation can also reduce peak cabin noise by up to 8 decibels. If you’re wondering about the windows, roughly 1.7 square meters of electrochromic glass may be adjusted to three different tint levels with the touch of a button.


The load capacity is also outstanding; a motorized front trunk holds 230 liters. Behind the second row, there is 1,334 liters of space, making it the largest luxury five-seater SUV available. Folding the back seats flat results in a total volume of 3,084 liters. NIO believes you could fit five persons plus 21 carry-on luggage without incident. There is also a modular divider system, which allows you to create over 128 different storage arrangements. If you need to carry golf equipment or camping gear, there are numerous optional accessories to pick from.


The audio system is the LYRA 8.1.4.2, which has 27 speakers and 2,600 watts of power and is adjusted using Dirac processing to sound broad and natural. The screens are a 15.6 inch dual-layer OLED center panel and a 21.4 inch mini-LED above screen. Both are Dolby certified for video and audio, as is the lighting system, which consists of three layers and covers the interior in gentle colors.


Driver assistance features are highly reliant on NT.Cedar system and NIO’s own 5nm automotive-grade processor, the NX9031. A staggering 31 sensors flow directly into the AQUILA perception suite, the brains behind all of the advanced safety technology. Point-to-Point Navigate on Pilot Plus takes care of those tricky city and highway routes, while Intelligent Parking Assist and Intent-Aware Wayfinding handle parking lots and multi-story garages. Backing up the safety hardware is a seriously sturdy cage with nine airbags, as well as a brilliant automatic pull-over mechanism in the case of a high-speed tire blowout, and high-definition projection lighting paint a guide pattern directly onto the road, even at night.


NIO’s PrimeRide chassis hardware is a cut above the rest, featuring dual-chamber air springs, adjustable dampers, and a suite of Vehicle Motion Control software. It doesn’t only have one mode; it can handle wet roads, sand, gravel, mud, and snow. To top it all off, they’ve included Smart U-Turn and motion-sickness mitigation technologies to make driving as comfortable as possible in everyday life.