Chinese electric car maker NIO is speeding up its global growth and plans to enter the UAE market this year. They’ve just launched their UAE website and social media accounts, and they’ve announced the new head of their local business.

NIO has already made a splash in Europe, and now has 557,000 users worldwide, with over 107,000 new users joining in 2024 alone. Last year, NIO struck a strategic partnership with CYVN Holdings, an investment company backed by the Abu Dhabi government, which is now the biggest shareholder in NIO. NIO founder and CEO Li Bin mentioned in a June earnings call that the company is set to enter the UAE market this year.

The launch of NIO’s UAE website and social media channels marks the official start of their efforts in this market. NIO confirmed that these platforms will be run by their new UAE team.

While the website is live, details about specific models and sales strategies have not yet been released. NIO founder Li Bin and UAE General Manager Roberto Lopes Da Silva have issued a joint statement saying that NIO will work with local partners to create a new era of smart electric vehicles and is committed to providing excellent products and services to UAE customers.

NIO is currently collecting information from UAE customers interested in buying electric vehicles to prepare for a formal launch later this year. Further details about the models NIO will offer in the UAE and whether battery swapping services will be included are still to be announced.