On August 22, NIO Inc. founder Li Bin commented on the pricing of new vehicles at the launch event for the all-new ES8, stating that today's pricing reflects NIO Inc.'s comprehensive capabilities across innovative technology, R&D investment, management efficiency improvements, and supply chain strategies.

"This isn't just about market competition today. We can do this from a cost structure perspective - we're not selling below cost or sacrificing gross margins," he said.

Regarding whether costs were too high previously, Li Bin noted that there's no way to go back in time now.

He candidly acknowledged the challenge of creating vehicles that are both innovative and cost-controlled. "If you just want to make low-cost cars, with China's highly developed and mature supply chain, you can still produce cheap vehicles. But making a truly leading smart electric vehicle that combines excellent corporate performance, high safety standards, and advanced technology content - that's genuinely challenging and not easy," he stated.

Regarding the second-generation ES8, Li Bin frankly admitted to making some mistakes, particularly failing to clearly define cost parameters during the initial development phase, which led to challenges in subsequent R&D.

Therefore, Li Bin explained that the third-generation ES8 was positioned from birth as a three-row SUV in the 400,000+ yuan segment.

"Simply put, when the all-new ES8 was initially planned, its mission was to correct this mistake and return to its rightful position - back to a comfortable and reasonable pricing range," he said.

Yesterday evening, the all-new third-generation NIO Inc. ES8 officially launched for pre-order, offering three variants: 6-seat Executive Luxury Edition, 6-seat Executive Signature Edition, and 7-seat Executive Luxury Edition.

The 6-seat Executive Luxury Edition and 7-seat Executive Luxury Edition both have a pre-order price of 416,800 yuan for the complete vehicle, or starting at 308,800 yuan with battery rental. The 6-seat Executive Signature Edition has a pre-order price of 456,800 yuan for the complete vehicle, or 348,800 yuan with battery rental. The new vehicle is scheduled to officially launch and begin deliveries in late September 2025.