NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2026, 09:06 EST — Premarket
- Nio shares rose roughly 2.5% in premarket trading, following a second consecutive day of gains
- A report says the new “NIO World Model” driver-assist system is being rolled out to more than 460,000 vehicles
- Attention turns to January delivery figures from China EV makers, set for release on Feb. 1
Nio Inc’s shares on the U.S. market climbed roughly 2.5% to $4.89 in premarket action Friday, building on gains from the day before. The boost came after reports that the Chinese EV firm started deploying an updated “Nio World Model” driver-assistance software to over 460,000 vehicles. 1
The timing is crucial since software remains one of the rare tools in China’s packed EV market that doesn’t revolve solely around price. Investors are eager for signals that Nio can boost sales of high-margin features even as it battles to increase volume.
Markets are also eyeing whether China’s EV demand will stay strong into early 2026. A weaker delivery number could erase the tech-driven rally fast, especially given the thin premarket volume.
The report noted the update is initially rolling out to vehicles equipped with Nio’s “Banyan” system, with the “Cedar” and “Cedar S” models set to receive it next. It called this Nio’s first domestic application of “closed-loop reinforcement learning” in assisted driving—a method that refines itself by learning from feedback. The update also introduces features like an “efficiency lane-change” function. 2
Nio’s battery-swap network, which lets drivers trade a depleted battery for a charged one in minutes instead of waiting to recharge, remains a core focus. Founder and CEO William Li revealed on Weibo that the company’s total battery swaps have surpassed 99 million. According to Gasgoo, Nio Power ran 3,708 swap stations and 4,887 charging stations as of January 27. “We will continue to invest heavily in our 12 full-stack technologies to maintain our lead in products and tech,” Li told Gasgoo. 3
The stock jumped 3.9% Thursday, trading heavily, as a Motley Fool piece featured on Nasdaq.com highlighted a fresh wave of “autonomous EV” buzz. The column noted a split among peers: XPeng slipped, while Li Auto pushed higher. 4
Options activity picked up, with call volume outstripping puts, according to TipRanks’ The Fly. Implied volatility edged higher, hinting at bigger expected moves in the stock. 5
In China, Nio is pushing its latest models. CnEVPost reports the company is close to delivering its 60,000th third-generation ES8 SUV. An executive’s Weibo post hinted the milestone is imminent, and another confirmed it should happen later this week. The outlet also noted that Nio and its main competitors will release January delivery numbers on Sunday, Feb. 1. 6
Nio closed out 2025 with a record delivery month, handing over 48,135 vehicles in December alone. For the full year, deliveries hit 326,028, the company reported on Jan. 1. Total cumulative deliveries reached 997,592 vehicles by that date. 7
There’s a catch. Nio’s investment in software and swap stations requires significant upfront spending, and the company must rely on steady demand to cover those costs in a market where competitors can quickly slash prices.
