How Is NIO Expanding Its Global Footprint Beyond China?

Chinese EV maker NIO Inc. NIO continues to push forward with its global expansion, moving beyond China into markets across Europe, Central Asia and the Asia-Pacific region. Over the past few years, the company has steadily expanded its overseas footprint, aiming to reach more customers with its smart and sustainable electric vehicles.

One of NIO’s more recent moves has been into Central Asia. The company officially opened its first store in Uzbekistan, launching NIO Space Tashkent in partnership with local distributor Abu Sahiy Motors, marking its entry into the region.

NIO plans to offer several models in Uzbekistan, including the ET9, EL8, EL6, ET5, and ET5 Touring, along with the L90 and L60 EVs from its Onvo sub-brand. This move reflects NIO’s shift toward a national distributor model overseas, following challenges in replicating its China-style direct-sales approach.

Beyond Central Asia, NIO is also targeting Australia and New Zealand as part of the global expansion of its Firefly sub-brand. The company plans to enter both right-hand-drive markets in the second half of 2026, focusing on compact electric vehicles. This strategy reflects a careful approach to choosing markets where demand is growing and regulatory conditions are favorable. The company also aims to continue building its presence in the Asia-Pacific while maintaining a strong focus on its China operations.

Europe remains a central pillar of NIO’s international strategy. The company plans to introduce five models in Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Denmark. These models include the NIO-branded EL6, EL8, ET5, ET5 Touring, and a compact new model under its Firefly sub-brand. To support this expansion, NIO is partnering with national distributors in each market, including JAP Group in Portugal; Motodynamics Group in Greece from 2025, as well as in Cyprus and Bulgaria from 2026; and Nic. Christiansen Group in Denmark.

NIO’s journey into Europe began earlier, with its first entry into Norway in 2021. Since then, the company has steadily broadened its reach. In 2024, NIO also announced plans to enter the Middle East and North Africa (“MENA”) region and establish a technology research center in the UAE, signaling a growing commitment to global markets.

Overall, these international moves reflect NIO’s efforts to reduce its reliance on the domestic market while navigating challenges, such as intensifying competition, tariff barriers, and the path to profitability. As the company continues to refine its overseas strategy, its long-term objective remains clear — to establish NIO as a global smart EV brand across multiple regions.

Competitive Context

BYD Company Limited BYDDY is also stepping up its international expansion during 2025-2026, as it looks to grow sales outside China amid slowing domestic demand. The company aims to sell around 1.3 million vehicles overseas in 2026, marking a strong increase from 2025 levels. BYD’s overseas sales have risen sharply in recent years, and the company is now present in more than 110 countries and regions.

To support its growth, BYD is expanding dealer networks, especially in Europe, and scaling manufacturing outside China, including in Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Brazil, with a planned European plant to support its global push.

XPeng XPEV is also deepening its international footprint with a strong focus on localization and operational efficiency. In 2026, the company announced the establishment of localized supply chain teams in Europe and ASEAN, strengthening its “In Local, For Local” strategy that supports regional procurement, production and operations.

XPEV stated that it has expanded its presence to 60 countries and regions, supported by growing overseas deliveries and a strategy focused on sales network expansion and localized capabilities.

The Zacks Rundown for NIO

Shares of NIO have gained 1.1% in the past six months compared with the industry’s growth of 14.8%.

From a valuation standpoint, NIO trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 0.47, below the industry and its own five-year average. It carries a Value Score of D.

See how the Zacks Consensus Estimate for NIO’s earnings has been revised over the past 90 days.

NIO stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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