“From a valley of tears”
This is how Nio still wants to do it in Germany
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Like many Chinese car manufacturers, NIO has a difficult time in Germany. Not even 400 vehicles were sold in this country in 2024. The more cheaper sub-brands, the expansion of the battery change stations and a strict consolidation course should change this.
NIO manager David Sultzer cannot be satisfied with the result of the 2024 season. The Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) in Flensburg has just 398 vehicles sold for last year, which makes a minus of 68.5 percent the previous year. The balance of a promoted team in the relegation battle.
“Here in Germany the birthplace of premium vehicles is important for the image,” says David Sultzer, Managing Director of NIO Germany.
(Photo: Nio)
David Sultzer is already the third managing director, since NIO 2022 started in Germany, and sees the situation realistically, albeit not yet dramatic: “We come from a valley of tears. 2024 was difficult for all e-providers, especially for us. A new one Building the brand, however, is much more than counting KBA numbers, “says the ex-genesis manager,” but we cannot expect the results for 70, 80 years after two years “.
We meet Sultzer for a conversation in the NIO-House in the Hamburg City. The elegant showroom over two levels, in the best city location directly on the outside, was opened in June and is Europe's most successful NIO house. Around 8,000 interested parties stroll through the car dealership with a connected café, which is cooled with light wood Nordic. You have to be able to afford that. The headquarters in Shanghai should not yet become nervous and keep your feet still.
Germany should become the most important market in Europe
“Here in Germany the birthplace of premium vehicles is important for the image,” says Sultzer. “We have a successful brand that wants to expand behind us. Europe is an integral part of the group strategy”. The company of Selfmade billionaire and CEO William Le, which was only founded as a startup in 2014 as a startup as a startup as a startup. Most at home, where NIO in 2024 increased by 70 percent.
In the long term, Germany should become the most important market in Europe. For this year, Sultzer relies on consolidation. A partner had been found with an all -off, who took care of the topic of tires in 150 workshops, as well as contracts with 20 new service partners and 9 mobile workshops that come directly to the customer.
No new models planned for 2025
New models are not planned in 2025. The 5.30-meter flagship ET9 presented in China with the support of testimonial Herbert Diess (ex-VW boss) should not come to Europe for the time being.
The focus is primarily on expanding the 19 swap stations at which the batteries of the vehicles can be switched fully automatically. Here they made great progress in processes and costs. Customers who have long distances in front of them could now also exchange their 75 kW battery for a 100 kW battery for a month. Costs around 120 euros. You also check the daily basis. The change fee is still ten euros, plus the battery charge at a cheap 39 cents per kilowatt hour.
“Around 60 million swaps have been made at the approximately 3000 swap stations in China,” says Sultzer. For the currently 4th generation, other manufacturers also want to make their models fit. NIO floats a global standard.
Hope lies on fleets, fleet and commercial customers
Until the time comes, the manufacturer hopes for the business with fleet, fleet and commercial customers such as the taxi app “Freenow”, over which around 20 Nios is currently running in Hamburg. And on the charm of two new NIO daughters. This year, the Chinese presented a sub-brand with Firefly (translated: fireflies) that should offer inexpensive electric cars in competition with smart or mini.
While the NIO models are brought to the customer exclusively via direct sales and as a car subscription, a dealer model is obviously also conceivable for Firefly. First there will be a compact Firefly model that can later swap his battery. To rental and exchange rates that are said to be significantly below that of NIO. The second offspring is called “Onvo”, has a primary eye on families with the crossover L60 and is supposed to position itself against Tesla. In terms of price, “Onvo” wants to orientate itself on the competition, the market launch takes place in 2026.
Of course, the threatened punitive tariffs on Chinese import cars are also an issue for NIO. Price cuts are currently out of the question for David Sultzer: “Of course, competitiveness is important, but we won't be able to” cheap “. Rather, Nio first tries to compensate for the higher prices through “warehouse vehicles that we organized in time”. It remains to be seen whether the league can be kept with it.
