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Nio ES8's third-generation model undergoing road tests, as captured in spy shots.

Nio's third-generation ES8 Sports Utility Vehicle has been seen out on the roads during testing, as its anticipated autumn debut draws near.

Images reveal on-road trials of the upcoming third generation Nio ES8 electric SUV
Images reveal on-road trials of the upcoming third generation Nio ES8 electric SUV

Nio ES8's third-generation model undergoing road tests, as captured in spy shots.

The Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, Nio, has announced the launch of its third-generation ES8 SUV. This new model introduces several notable upgrades compared to its predecessor, offering improvements in size, battery technology, and manufacturing techniques.

Key new features and improvements include:

  1. Larger dimensions and three-row seating: The new ES8 is larger than the previous generation and maintains a luxury three-row flagship SUV layout, enhancing passenger capacity and comfort.
  2. 102-kWh high-capacity battery: This battery, shared with Nio's ET9 sedan, enables a CLTC-rated range of approximately 635 kilometers, improving range and performance over its predecessor.
  3. Advanced manufacturing technologies: Production will utilize Nio's third factory (F3) in NeoPark, started in September 2025, featuring cutting-edge lightweight car body manufacturing with mixed all-aluminum and ultra-high-strength steel structures, one-piece large die-cast parts, and AI-powered quality inspection systems (Tiantan) that test over 1,000 vehicle functions within minutes.
  4. Launch timing and strategic positioning: Nio Day 2025, traditionally held at year-end, has been moved to the fall to align with the ES8's delivery and capitalize on the Q4 sales peak, indicating confidence in the model launch and its market importance.

These enhancements collectively suggest that the third-generation ES8 will offer improved space, range, build quality, and refinement over the previous model, positioning it as a high-end, flagship EV SUV in Nio's lineup.

The ES8, Nio's first mass-produced model, was launched on December 16, 2017. In the first half of 2023, 3,109 ES8s were delivered, down 29.71 percent year-on-year. It currently serves as Nio's flagship SUV, but it may be replaced by the more premium ES9, which Nio plans to launch in the first half of 2026, according to its co-founder and president Qin Lihong.

Car blogger @德卤爱开车 shared several spy photos of what is believed to be the new ES8 on Weibo today, stating that the model looks better in real life than in its regulatory filing photos. However, it's worth noting that the new ES8 may not use Nio's top-of-the-line technologies, as there are more advanced 9-series models.

The starting price of the ES8, including the battery pack, is RMB 498,000 ($69,400), calculated using an exchange rate of 1 USD = RMB 7.1763. The dimensions of the second-generation ES8 were 5,099 mm in length, 1,989 mm in width, and 1,750 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,070 mm. The third-generation ES8 measures 5,280 mm in length, 2,010 mm in width, and 1,800 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 3,250 mm.

Nio's third-generation ES8 SUV is set to offer a significant leap forward in terms of size, battery technology, and manufacturing techniques, positioning it as a competitive player in the high-end EV SUV market.

  1. Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, is set to enter the high-end EV SUV market with its third-generation ES8 SUV.
  2. The new ES8 offers improvements in size, batter technology, and manufacturing techniques compared to its predecessor.
  3. The third-generation ES8 features a 102-kWh high-capacity battery, shared with Nio's ET9 sedan, that enables a CLTC-rated range of approximately 635 kilometers.
  4. Nio's third factory (F3) in NeoPark, started in September 2025, will utilize advanced manufacturing technologies for the production of the new ES8.
  5. The launch of the third-generation ES8 is strategically positioned to capitalize on the Q4 sales peak, reflecting Nio's confidence in the model launch's success.
  6. The starting price of the ES8, including the battery pack, is RMB 498,000 ($69,400), and it offers larger dimensions and three-row seating compared to the previous generation.

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