Nio’s William Li recently delivered an ET9 to Robin Zeng, the founder, chairman, and CEO of CATL, the world’s largest maker of EV batteries. The delivery took place at the Shanghai auto show, where Nio showcased the ET9 and demonstrated its chassis capabilities, attracting a lot of attention from visitors.
Zeng joins He Xiaopeng, chairman and CEO of Xpeng, as one of the latest owners of the Nio ET9, Nio’s executive flagship sedan. William Li personally presented the ET9 to Zeng at the auto show and introduced him to the car’s features.
CATL holds a significant share of the global EV battery market, with Nio being one of its major customers. Zeng praised the ET9’s innovative cockpit design, highlighting its departure from traditional executive flagship sedans.
In a separate development, a video posted by Li on Weibo revealed that He Xiaopeng of Xpeng has also become an ET9 owner, although he has yet to take delivery of the vehicle. This move further solidifies the relationship between Nio and Xpeng, two prominent players in the Chinese EV market.
The ET9, unveiled at Nio Day 2024, is Nio’s most expensive model to date, starting at RMB 788,000 ($108,100) including the battery. It incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as the Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip and the SkyRide chassis.
Deliveries of the ET9 began in March, with the first owner being Hongbo Fang, chairman and CEO of Midea Group. Richard Liu, the billionaire founder of JD.com, also placed an order for an ET9 earlier this month.
At the Shanghai auto show, Nio showcased multiple ET9s and demonstrated the vehicle’s chassis and suspension capabilities through a series of dynamic maneuvers. This display aims to highlight the advanced engineering and performance of the ET9 to potential customers.
Overall, the increasing interest from prominent entrepreneurs like Robin Zeng and He Xiaopeng is expected to boost the acceptance of the Nio ET9 among affluent buyers. The combination of luxury, technology, and performance makes the ET9 a compelling choice in the premium sedan segment.
