TLDR
- NIO stock rose over 7% on Wednesday, trading around $6.51
- April deliveries hit 29,356 vehicles, up 22.8% year-over-year, with year-to-date deliveries up 71% to 112,821 units
- The third-gen ES8 topped China’s large SUV retail sales for the fifth straight month with 13,020 units sold in April
- NIO faces a regulatory overhang in China over alleged battery software updates that cut EV range by around 125 miles
- New model launches — the ES9 flagship SUV on May 27 and Onvo L80 on May 15 — are expected to boost May and June deliveries
NIO stock climbed more than 7% on Wednesday, trading at $6.51, as investors responded to strong delivery numbers and continued momentum from its best-selling ES8 SUV.
NIO reported April deliveries of 29,356 vehicles. That’s up 22.8% from the same month last year, though down 17.3% from March.
China’s April full-size SUV sales charts just dropped. The NIO ES8 holds the #1 spot for the fifth month running.
While the broader standings remain relatively stable, a few new faces did crash the board.
Leapmotor’s D19 successfully slipped past the ONVO L90 (last month's #4).… pic.twitter.com/80Ywz15i5f
— ChinaEV Home (@CNEVhome) May 13, 2026
Year-to-date deliveries reached 112,821 vehicles through April, a 71% jump compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative deliveries hit 1,110,413 as of April 30.
The third-generation ES8 was a standout. It recorded retail sales of 13,020 units in April, making it the top-selling large SUV in China for the fifth month running.
That’s not a small feat. In the segment priced above 400,000 yuan (around $58,890), the ES8 ranked first regardless of whether rivals were electric or combustion-powered.
The ES8 crossed the 100,000-unit milestone in late April, just 215 days after deliveries began — one of the faster ramp-ups in its category.
ES8 Continues to Carry the Load
The ES8 contributed 44.38% of NIO’s total April deliveries. In the first quarter, it delivered 45,185 units — 54.14% of all NIO deliveries for that period.
To keep the momentum going, NIO extended a five-year, zero-down-payment, interest-free financing offer into May. Buyers who lock in orders before the end of May also get a 10,000-yuan purchase tax subsidy.
NIO is set to report first-quarter financial results on May 21, before the US market opens. It delivered 83,465 vehicles in Q1, beating the upper end of its guidance range of 80,000 to 83,000.
Regulatory Risk Still in the Picture
Not everything is smooth. Chinese EV makers, including NIO, are under regulatory scrutiny over claims that software updates reduced vehicle range by around 200 km (125 miles).
Chinese authorities reportedly summoned more than eight EV makers, placing three under investigation. NIO’s battery swap model and over-the-air update system are central to its brand, so any forced changes could have real consequences.
Several EV makers denied being summoned, and NIO has not confirmed being directly targeted. But the issue is worth watching.
From a technical standpoint, NIO is trading above its 20-, 50-, 100-, and 200-day moving averages. A golden cross triggered in April when the 50-day SMA crossed above the 200-day SMA.
RSI sits at 50.41 — neutral — suggesting the stock isn’t overbought. Key resistance is at $7.00, with support at $6.50.
Looking ahead, NIO plans to launch the ES9 flagship SUV on May 27, with pre-sales already open at a starting price of 528,000 yuan. The Onvo sub-brand’s L80 five-seat SUV launches on May 15.
Management has said these new models are expected to drive a rebound in deliveries through May and June.
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