NIO CEO talks US sales, calls out Tesla products, and says he’s a better dancer than Elon Musk
In a recent interview with German media, NIO CEO William Li covered a plethora of topics pertaining to the relatively young Chinese automaker, including its expansion in Europe and its plans for the US, which may now be on hold. Speaking of the US market, Li had some bold (and funny) words to say about Tesla and Elon Musk.
NIO ($NIO) is a publicly traded EV automaker founded in 2014 that currently sits as one of the leading electrified brands in China, despite only beginning to deliver cars four years ago. The automaker has a keen focus on the overall experience of its customers, a huge reason for its quick success and its ability to expand to consumers beyond its home country.
In May of 2021, the automaker announced plans to enter new markets outside of China, beginning in Norway. Germany was soon announced as NIO’s next target in Europe, and the first outside of China that will receive deliveries of its ET7 sedan.
During the launch of its ET5 sedan last December, NIO shared plans for additional expansion in Europe, including the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark. Overall, the automaker said it intends to have a presence in 25 different countries and regions by 2025.
We have often speculated about NIO’s intentions to enter the US market based on its previous movements, but the automaker has always denied any plans. Now, in a recent interview, NIO’s CEO said the US has been on the to-do list, but may be delayed because of the recently signed Inflation Reduction Act.
Still, NIO is already competing with Tesla in China and now Europe, and will eventually bring the battle to the American automaker’s home turf… and it could garner a dance-off.
NIO EV sales in the US in 2025? Depends on tax credits
In a recent interview with heise Autos out of Germany, NIO CEO William Li spoke to the automaker’s recent entry into Germany, (potential) plans for the US, and why it will become a profitable company much more quickly than Tesla. Better yet, Li wants NIO to become a top-five-selling automaker by 2030. To begin, Li spoke about what sets NIO apart from other car companies:
First of all, we are younger than the others (laughs). But joking aside, there are actually some differentiators. It starts with the fact that our product has been developed for the future. With the ET7, sensors such as the LIDAR radar are clearly visible and the interior follows the concept of mobile living space. We also offer an all-round carefree package with the battery-changing stations. We are more than a car manufacturer. We already have a community in China and want to find one in Europe as well.
Li gave a lot of credit to established German automakers who currently sell twentyfold what NIO does around the globe. He said that companies like Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen Group know how car building works, and NIO can still learn a lot from them. Another automaker Li said NIO can still learn from is US automaker Tesla, although the CEO was also quite critical:
Tesla is a respectable car manufacturer and we can learn a lot from them. For example direct sales or how they have trimmed their production for efficiency. But NIO and Tesla are two different companies. Tesla focuses on technology and efficiency. Technology is also important to us, but we focus on the user. Tesla has played an important role in transforming the automotive industry toward electric mobility. Still, Tesla is under pressure. If they don’t improve their products fast enough or don’t provide good services, they will quickly be pushed out of the market.
Li cites staying power as a vital factor in finding success in the automotive industry, and believes NIO is in a marathon race while Tesla has been in more of a sprint. The next decade will truly show who is successful and who isn’t. When asked how he is different from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Li had another cheeky response, setting the stage for a potential dance off:
I write my own Facebook posts to communicate directly with our users and not just make a Twitter statement. Besides, I’m the better dancer…
As the largest automaker by market cap, Tesla has had a target on its back for years, but if NIO does inevitably decide to bring its premium EVs to the US, it could make for one hell of a battle. When asked if and when NIO might start selling its vehicles on US soil, Li was quite candid about the company’s previous plans, and explained that a lot is up in the air right now. A similar sentiment shared by many foreign automakers hoping to qualify for federal tax credits. Per Li:
We only become active in a market when we have the right product and the right services for this region, and we planned to also become active in the USA by the end of 2025. But the US government recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, making it harder for foreign automakers to produce and enter the market. We will therefore monitor developments closely.
Looking ahead, NIO will focus on ever-popular SUVs as well as smaller cars via its upcoming sub-brand, expected to begin delivering EVs by 2024. With this influx of quality vehicles offering better user experiences across multiple brands in global markets, NIO’s chief believes it will move out of the red and into profits sooner rather than later:
As a startup, it takes a while to be profitable. We have invested a great deal in the development of our cars and in the infrastructure, and thus in the future. We have a finely tuned plan to generate profits step by step. It took Tesla 16 years to become profitable. With NIO, this will be the case much faster.
We shall see.
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Following approval from Transport Canada, EV startup Workhorse will be bringing the W56 and W750 model electric delivery vans to commercial truck dealers in Canada as early as this spring.
Workhorse first showed its W56 medium-duty electric truck at Indiana’s Work Truck Week in 2023, and has sold the trucks to logistics and delivery companies like FedEx and Pride Group – which ordered more than six thousand of the electric vans in 2021, and continues to expand its fleet.
“This is a major step forward for Workhorse,” says Josh Anderson, Workhorse’s chief technology officer in a press statement. “Pre-clearance from Transport Canada opens up a large new market for our products throughout Canada, including with fleets that operate across borders in North America.”
As part of the approval process, Workhorse completed its registration as a foreign manufacturer under Transport Canada’s Appendix G clearance program. Transport Canada confirmed the vans’ compliance with Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (CMVSS) for both vehicles – but it remains to be seen if and how the latest tariff-driven trade war between the Trump Administration’s US and Canada will impact Workhorse’s plans to expand throughout North America.
Despite that uncertainty, Workhorse execs remain upbeat. “We’re excited that our electric step vans can now reach Canadian roads and highways, providing reliable, zero-emission solutions that customers can depend on,” added Anderson.
Canadian pricing has yet to be announced.
Electrek’s Take
There’s no other way to say it: the Trump/Musk co-presidency is disrupting a lot of companies’ plans – and that’s especially true across North American borders. But in all this chaos and turmoil there undoubtedly lies opportunity, and it will be interesting to see who ends up on top.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Workhorse, via Electric Autonomy Canada.
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![Liebherr developing giant, 140-ton Segway-style autonomous haulers [video]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/03/operational-area-earth-moving-copy.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
The new Liebherr S1 Vision 140-ton hauler is unlike any heavy haul truck currently on the market – primarily because the giant, self-propelled, single-axle autonomous bucket doesn’t look anything like any truck you’ve ever seen.
Liebherr says its latest heavy equipment concept was born from a desire to rethink truck design with a focus only on core functions. The resulting S1 Vision is primarily just a single axle with two powerful electric motors sending power to a pair of massive airless tires designed carry loads up to 131 tonnes (just over 140 tons).
The design enables rapid maintenance, as important components easily accessible for quick servicing. Wear parts can be replaced efficiently, and the electric drive significantly reduces maintenance work. This helps to minimise downtimes and increases operational efficiency.
LIEBHERR
Because of its versatility, durability, and ability to perform zero-turn maneuvers that other equipment simply can’t, the Liebherr S1 Vision can be adapted for various applications, including earthmoving, mining, and even agriculture. There’s also a nonzero chance of this technology finding applications supporting other on-site equipment through charging or fuel delivery.
The S1 accomplishes that trick safely with the help of an automatic load leveling system that ensures maximum stability, even on bumpy or rough terrain. The company says this technology significantly reduces the risk of tipping while providing smooth and secure operation across various environments.
Liebherr will show the S1 Vision at this year’s bauma equipment exhibition in Munich, Germany. The design has already been nominated for the bauma Innovation Award in the Mechanical Engineering category – and my money’s on it winning.
Electrek’s Take
This is such goofy, stupid fun that if it was wheelbarrow-sized I’d have three of them. I can’t imagine the insanity of watching one of these things roll across a job site with 100 tons of granite in the bucket – and will have nightmares about the kind of damage it could do if it flipped out like a poorly made Chinese hoverboard clone whipping a toddler across a living room … which, in fairness, would probably get a billion views on Instagram or TikTok or whatever.
I can’t wait.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Liebherr.
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The HD arm of Hyundai has just released the first official images of the new, battery-electric HX19e mini excavator – the first ever production electric excavator from the global South Korean manufacturer.
The HX19e will be the first all-electric asset to enter series production at Hyundai Construction Equipment, with manufacturing set to begin this April.
The new HX19e will be offered with either a 32 kWh or 40 kWh li-ion battery pack – which, according to Hyundai, is nearly double the capacity offered by its nearest competitor (pretty sure that’s not correct –Ed.). The 40kWh battery allows for up to 6 hours and 40 minutes of continuous operation between charges, with a break time top-up on delivering full shift usability.
Those batteries send power to a 13 kW (17.5 hp) electric motor that drives an open-center hydraulic system. Hyundai claims the system delivers job site performance that is at least equal to, if not better than, that of its diesel-powered HX19A mini excavator.
To that end, the Hyundai XH19e offers the same 16 kN bucket breakout force and a slightly higher 9.4 kN (just over 2100 lb-ft) dipper arm breakout force. The maximum digging depth is 7.6 feet, and the maximum digging reach is 12.9 feet. Hyundai will offer the new electric excavator with just four selectable options:
- enclosed cab vs. open canopy
- 32 or 40 kWh battery capacity
All HX19es will ship with a high standard specification that includes safety valves on the main boom, dipper arm, and dozer blade hydraulic cylinders, as well as two-way auxiliary hydraulic piping allows the machine to be used with a range of commercially available implements. The hydraulics needed to operate a quick coupler, LED booms lights, rotating beacons, an MP3 radio with USB connectivity, and an operator’s seat with mechanical suspension are also standard.
Like its counterparts at Volvo CE, the new Hyundai excavator uses automotive-style charging ports to take advantage of existing infrastructure at fleet depots and public charging stations. More detailed specifications, dimensions, and pricing should be announced by bauma.
Electrek’s Take
The ability to operate indoors, underground, or in environments like zoos and hospitals were keeping noise levels down is of critical importance to the success of an operation makes electric equipment assets like these coming from Hyundai a must-have for fleet operators and construction crews that hope to remain competitive in the face of ever-increasing noise regulations. The fact that these are cleaner, safer, and cheaper to operate is just icing on that cake.
SOURCE | IMAGES: HD Hyundai; via Construction Index, Equipment World.
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