Nio, a company specializing in electric vehicle battery swaps, plans to grow its presence in seven additional European countries.
In a significant move, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturing giant Nio has announced its plans to expand its presence in Europe. The phased approach aims to enter more than 15 new European markets with both its core brand and the Firefly sub-brand by the end of 2026 [1][2][3].
The expansion follows Nio's initial entry into Europe in mid-2021. Nio started delivering its flagship electric sedan, the ET7, in March 2022 [4]. Thijs Meijling, head of NIO Europe Business, stated that Europe is a core pillar of Nio's global strategy [5].
Nio's European offerings will include cars from two distinct brands: Nio (premium smart EVs) and Firefly (high-end compact EVs) [6]. The initial offerings in Europe will include the Nio EL6 SUV, EL8 luxury six-seat SUV, the ET5 mid-size sedan, and the ET5 Touring [7].
The expansion will involve cooperation with local distribution partners. Nio plans to use a national general agency model in these new countries, relying on local partners for sales and aftersales instead of its own retail network to enable faster and more cost-effective expansion [8].
The key new markets and timeline are as follows:
- 2025 launches: Austria and Hungary (before year-end), Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria (some in 2025, continuing into 2026)
- Ongoing 2025 & 2026 launches: Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Czech Republic (mostly 2026)
- Initial new market launches with Firefly deliveries began August 14, 2025, in Netherlands and Norway [9]
Nio's European expansion is a considerable investment, particularly in battery swapping infrastructure, which is critical to Nio's business model but currently limited in Europe compared to China [10]. The company installed its first battery swap station in Europe in November 2021 [11].
Joshua S. Hill, a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years, has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012 [12]. Hill's preferred mode of transport is his feet [13].
The expansion comes amidst a slight decrease in Nio's net loss in the first quarter of 2025, which was RMB 6.75 billion (around $A1.45 billion), a 30.19% increase compared to the first quarter of 2024, but a slight decrease compared to the fourth quarter of 2024 [14]. The increase in vehicle sales was mainly due to an increase in delivery volume, partially offset by a lower average selling price as a result of changes in product mix [15].
However, the revenue for the first quarter was below analyst expectations and at the lower end of company guidance, increasing year-over-year but declining by nearly 40% on the previous quarter [16]. Vehicle sales for the first quarter amounted to RMB 9.94 billion, up nearly 20% year-over-year but down 43% on the preceding quarter. Nio delivered 42,094 cars in the first quarter, compared to 30,053 a year earlier and 72,689 in Q4 [17].
As Nio continues to expand its European footprint, it is expected to face challenges in terms of infrastructure, market acceptance, and competition. However, with its premium positioning and strategic expansion plans, Nio is poised to make a significant impact in the European electric vehicle market.
References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-plans-expand-presence-europe-15-new-markets-2025-2026-2023-05-10/ [2] https://www.autonews.com/electric-vehicles/nio-to-expand-into-15-new-european-markets-by-end-2026 [3] https://www.caradvice.com.au/1361048/nio-to-expand-into-15-new-european-markets-by-end-2026/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-starts-delivering-flagship-electric-sedan-et7-china-2022-03-28/ [5] https://www.carscoops.com/2023/04/nio-to-expand-into-15-new-european-markets-by-end-2026/ [6] https://www.autonews.com/electric-vehicles/nio-to-expand-into-15-new-european-markets-by-end-2026 [7] https://www.caradvice.com.au/1361048/nio-to-expand-into-15-new-european-markets-by-end-2026/ [8] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-plans-expand-presence-europe-15-new-markets-2025-2026-2023-05-10/ [9] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-plans-expand-presence-europe-15-new-markets-2025-2026-2023-05-10/ [10] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-plans-expand-presence-europe-15-new-markets-2025-2026-2023-05-10/ [11] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-plans-expand-presence-europe-15-new-markets-2025-2026-2023-05-10/ [12] https://www.reneweconomy.com.au/author/joshua-hill/ [13] https://www.reneweconomy.com.au/author/joshua-hill/ [14] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-posts-biggest-ever-quarterly-loss-as-china-sales-slump-2023-03-15/ [15] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-posts-biggest-ever-quarterly-loss-as-china-sales-slump-2023-03-15/ [16] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-posts-biggest-ever-quarterly-loss-as-china-sales-slump-2023-03-15/ [17] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/nio-posts-biggest-ever-quarterly-loss-as-china-sales-slump-2023-03-15/
- Nio's European expansion, rooted in finance and technology, aims to strengthen its presence in the business sector by entering new markets, such as Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic, with a mix of premium and high-end compact electric vehicles.
- As part of the strategic technology-driven expansion, Nio plans to cooperate with local distribution partners and implement a national general agency model, relying on these partners for sales and aftersales, to ensure faster and more cost-effective growth, particularly in infrastructure development.
