Beijing (Gasgoo)- At the ceremony marking NIO’s 1 millionth mass-produced vehicle rolling off the line, co-founder and president Qin Lihong outlined the company’s 2026 operating plan, centered on "selling good cars, delivering strong service, and building solid infrastructure."
Image source: NIO
Qin Lihong said sales in 2026 will be anchored by mid- to high-end large vehicles, and the company plans to expand its sales network into lower-tier markets with strong potential. NIO is preparing its first batch of integrated stores, slated to open ahead of the Lunar New Year, where models from the NIO, ONVO and Firefly brands will be sold side by side. In addition, NIO is accelerating the rollout of charging and battery-swapping infrastructure to support its multi-brand strategy.
Meanwhile, NIO signed a framework agreement with Chery Automobile and JAC Group to co-build a collaborative innovation platform for the auto industry, and reached a vehicle-chip industrialization partnership with Lontium Semiconductor Corporation — further strengthening supply-chain coordination.
Since the first ES8 rolled off the line in 2018, NIO has moved from a single brand to coordinated development across three. Founder, chairman and CEO William Li said the 1 million-unit milestone marks a new starting point, and that NIO has entered a third development phase centered on high-quality growth. He emphasized a steadier stance toward the future and a focus on lifting market share in China step by step — aiming, for instance, for 5% to 10%.
On near-term performance, Li said he’s confident NIO can turn profitable in the fourth quarter of 2025. The company posted a loss of about 2.7 billion yuan in the third quarter, but with more high-margin models delivered in the fourth quarter, results are expected to improve; final figures remain subject to audit.
NIO said it will keep advancing coordinated development across products, services and infrastructure to sustain its momentum in intelligent electric vehicles.
