NIO Extends Nationwide Store Hours as New ES8 Test Drives Book Out Until Midnight on Launch Day

NIO’s All-New ES8 Test Drives Ignite Nationwide Frenzy — Stores Extend Hours as Bookings Stretch Past Midnight

On September 10, NIO officially kicked off nationwide test drives for its highly anticipated all-new ES8 — and the response was nothing short of explosive. From the very first day, stores across China saw a surge in visitors, with some locations booking test drives well into the early hours of the morning.

That same afternoon, Yang Bo, NIO’s Head of User Operations, took to Weibo to announce a special measure:

“Starting tonight, all NIO stores nationwide will extend their closing hours to accommodate as many users as possible for test drives. We truly appreciate everyone’s support, and we urge drivers to prioritize safety during nighttime sessions. A big thank you to our frontline teams for ensuring every customer enjoys an exceptional test drive experience.”

The excitement on the ground was palpable. At NIO House in Hangzhou’s EFC district, the entire team was still hard at work close to 8 p.m. A sales representative explained that staff had been operating in a non-stop rotation, with demand particularly strong from nearby tech company employees who finish work late.

“We’re currently booking test drives all the way through to around September 18,” he revealed.

Since the ES8’s pre-sale launch three weeks ago, NIO showrooms nationwide have been buzzing with activity. In many locations, sales teams have described the scene as “busier than the cars themselves,” with the ES8’s frunk lid barely getting a moment’s rest from morning until night.

NIO’s Chairman, William Li, shared that his initial benchmark was for the new ES8 to match the strong market reception of the L90.

“In reality, things are looking even better than expected,” he said. “Our market forecasts were conservative, and now the entire supply chain is working at full speed to ramp up production capacity.”

The official debut of the all-new ES8 is set for NIO Day on September 20 in Hangzhou. Pre-orders are already open, with a starting pre-sale price of RMB 416,800 for full vehicle purchase, or RMB 308,800 under the battery-as-a-service (BaaS) leasing model.

Compared with the previous generation ES8, the new model is priced RMB 81,200 lower for full purchase and RMB 119,200 lower with BaaS — and Li hinted during the pre-sale launch that the final official price could be even lower.

With a complete inside-and-out upgrade, compelling pricing, and strong brand momentum, the all-new ES8 is poised to follow in the footsteps of the L90 as NIO’s next blockbuster — setting a new benchmark for premium three-row all-electric SUVs.