- NIO leads China NEV NPS with 81.9, marking its third consecutive improvement and ES8 driving gains.
- firefly posts a near-80 NPS (79.7), cementing strong youth-market recommendation levels.
- AITO ranks third at 77.1 while Xiaomi jumps to fourth after an 11.1-point NPS surge to 76.5.
On July 8, research firm LandRoads released its “2026 H1 New Energy Vehicle Brand Health Research Report.”
The survey covered 65 new energy vehicle brands and collected feedback from more than 13,000 EV owners, focusing on changes in brand NPS (Net Promoter Score).
According to the report, the average NPS score across the NEV industry reached 60.9 in the first half of 2026, up 1.8 percentage points from the second half of 2025.
By vehicle price segment, owners of higher-priced models showed stronger willingness to recommend.
Models priced above RMB 300,000 ($44,150) recorded an average NPS of 68.3, followed by 66.0 for vehicles priced between RMB 200,000–300,000 ($29,430–44,150), while models below RMB 200,000 ($29,436) scored 56.9.
The top two brands in this NPS ranking both came from NIO Inc.
The NIO brand recorded an NPS of 81.9, rising 7 percentage points from the previous period and becoming the only NEV brand in the survey to exceed 80 points.
This marked the third consecutive survey period in which NIO’s NPS improved.
Among individual models, the ES8 delivered particularly strong performance and became a key contributor to the brand’s improved reputation.
NIO’s younger-oriented firefly brand also maintained a strong score, with an NPS of 79.7 in the latest survey, remaining close to the 80-point level for two consecutive periods.
AITO ranked third with an NPS of 77.1. Although the score declined slightly from the previous period, the brand remained among the industry leaders.
At the model level, the AITO M9 continued to lead its segment, ranking first among large SUVs with an NPS of 87.2.
However, factors including updates to the M7 lineup affected recommendation willingness among some users.
Xiaomi EV was one of the brands with the biggest improvement during the period. Its NPS climbed to 76.5, up 11.1 points from the previous survey, lifting the brand to fourth place.
Among individual models, both the Xiaomi SU7 and YU7 maintained high recommendation scores.
The SU7 ranked first in the large and mid-size sedan segment with an NPS of 76.3, while the YU7 topped the large and mid-size SUV category.
Li Auto recorded an NPS of 75.7, with customer sentiment remaining relatively stable. Despite the rapid product cycle in 2026, Li Auto’s user recommendation scores showed limited volatility.
From a model perspective, Li Auto’s NPS performance was mainly supported by the i6 and L6, both approaching the 80-point level.
The Li MEGA continued to receive strong recognition, ranking first in the MPV segment with an NPS of 81.8.
By comparison, higher-priced models including the L8, L9 and i8 recorded slightly lower user ratings.
Beyond leading brands, several Chinese automakers also saw notable improvements.
Fangchengbao, Zeekr and BYD recorded NPS scores of 75.5, 68.3 and 67.9, respectively, indicating continued recovery in user perception.
The Zeekr 9X secures first place in the premium market priced above RMB 500,000 ($73,590), registering an NPS of 83.9.
At the model level, large SUVs remained the most competitive segment among premium NEVs.
The AITO M9, NIO ES8 and Zeekr 9X ranked the top three models with NPS scores of 87.2, 85.3 and 83.9, respectively.
In the large and mid-size SUV, mid-size SUV, compact SUV and small SUV categories, the highest-ranked models were Xiaomi YU7 (79.6), Song Ultra (83.3), Tank 300 (75.9) and Yuan UP (71.5), respectively.
In the sedan segment, Xiaomi SU7, Buick Electra L7 and Nissan N7 ranked the top three with NPS scores of 76.3, 71.4 and 68.3, respectively.
Among mid-size, compact and small sedans, the highest-ranked models were NIO ET5T (82.5), Qin PLUS DM-i (73.9) and firefly (79.7), respectively.
In the MPV segment, the top three models by NPS were Li Auto MEGA (81.8), Wey Gaoshan (76.9) and Voyah Dream (74.8).
As new models continue to launch, pricing strategies evolve and intelligent driving features become more widespread, competition in China’s NEV market is gradually shifting away from pure price and sales battles toward product experience and long-term customer satisfaction.
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