ClearMotion Hits 20K-Unit Mark for NIO ET9 and ES9 Active Suspension

U.S. chassis technology company ClearMotion has reached 20K units in production for its fully active suspension system across NIO’s ET9 and ES9 platforms.

ClearMotion said the milestone shows its active suspension technology has reached production maturity. The system is now moving beyond a premium feature for flagship models toward broader market adoption.

ClearMotion began working with NIO in 2022, after NIO Capital led a $39 million funding round for the U.S. company. The two sides then launched joint development work.

NIO unveiled the ET9 in December 2024. Its SkyRide intelligent chassis combined fully active suspension, steer-by-wire and rear-wheel steering in a single system. ClearMotion’s active suspension made its production debut on the flagship sedan.

The ES9, which went on sale in May 2026, brought the same chassis technology to the large electric SUV segment.

The ES9 starts at RMB 498K ($74.25K). Deliveries topped 20K units 73 days after launch. NIO has also said the ES9 ranked among China’s best-selling pure-electric models priced above RMB 500K for two straight months.

The ES9’s higher sales volume gives the SkyRide chassis a stronger base for wider deployment.

At the heart of SkyRide is a 48-volt electrical architecture paired with fully active suspension. Its active response frequency reaches 40 Hz, allowing the system to adjust suspension travel up to 40 times per second as road conditions change.

Using data from body and wheel sensors, the system calculates the control force required at each wheel in real time. It can actively counter pitch, roll and vertical body movement, particularly important for large SUVs.

SkyRide was also named one of China’s Top 10 Chassis Technologies for 2026, winning the Best Intelligent Chassis award.

The shift reflects a broader change in China’s premium EV market.

Fully active suspension was once largely confined to a small number of luxury models, with high costs and system complexity limiting adoption.

Chinese EV makers such as NIO are now bringing steer-by-wire, fully active suspension and other electronic chassis technologies into mass production. The chassis is evolving from a mechanical system into an increasingly software-defined, electronically controlled platform.

The 20K-unit milestone across the ET9 and ES9 may be only the start.

As premium EV buyers place greater value on ride comfort, body control and intelligent chassis systems, technologies such as fully active suspension could move from niche flagship features to key differentiators across a wider range of high-end EVs.