Nio shares rose nearly 1% premarket after appointing NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming as chief experience officer for its ES9 SUV. The ES9 entered April pre-sales at 528,000 yuan ($77,800), features the updated Nio World Model smart-driving platform and a 6,000-unit inventory with a 5,000-yuan deposit offsetting 10,000 yuan.
Nio named NBA Hall of Famer Yao Ming as chief experience officer for its ES9 flagship SUV, leveraging his global profile as a symbol of Chinese height and cross-cultural appeal to boost brand engagement.
The ES9, Nio’s premium SUV powered by the updated Nio World Model smart-driving platform, entered April pre-sales at a starting 528,000 yuan ($77,800) and offers buyers a 5,000-yuan deposit that offsets 10,000 yuan at purchase, supported by an initial 6,000-unit inventory.
Nio’s U.S.-listed shares rose nearly 1% in premarket trading following the appointment, with management forecasting steady delivery improvements in May and June as ES9 units reach showrooms across China.
