NIO Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and sells smart electric vehicles in China. It offers five and six-seater electric SUVs, as well as smart electric sedans. The company also offers power solutions, including Power Home, a home charging solution; Power Swap, a battery swapping service; Power Charger and Destination Charger; Power Mobile, a mobile charging service through charging vans; Power Map, an application that provides access to a network of public chargers and their real-time information; and One Click for Power valet service. In addition, it provides repair, maintenance, and bodywork services through its NIO service centers and authorized third-party service centers; statutory and third-party liability insurance, and vehicle damage insurance through third-party insurers; repair and routine maintenance; courtesy vehicle services; roadside assistance; data packages; and auto financing and financial leasing services. Further, the company involved in the provision of energy and service packages to its users; design and technology development activities; manufacture of e-powertrains, battery packs, and components; and sales and after sales management activities. Additionally, it offers NIO Certified, a used vehicle inspection, evaluation, acquisition, and sales service. The company was formerly known as NextEV Inc. and changed its name to NIO Inc. in July 2017. NIO Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

NIO Inc.

Сильный индекс, значительно вырос. Быки резко укрепили уверенность в своих позициях.

Strong index, significantly up. Bulls sharply strengthened confidence in their positions.

Слабый индекс, значительно вырос. Рынок на стороне быков.

Weak index, significantly up. The market is on the bulls' side.

Средний индекс, незначительно упал. Отток средств из лонгов остается значительным.

Medium index, slightly down. The outflow of funds from longs remains significant.

Electric vehicle (EV) and tech giant Tesla TSLA delivered 486,532 vehicles (comprising 478,237 units of Model 3/Y and 8,295 Other models) in the third quarter of 2026, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 471,262 units. Deliveries increased 1.3% sequentially but declined 2.1% on a year-over-year basis.
It was Tesla's strongest quarter for EV sales since the third quarter of 2025, when U.S. buyers rushed to purchase before federal EV tax credits expired, prompting the automaker to see a temporary surge in demand.
Through the first nine months of 2026, Tesla delivered 1,324,681 vehicles. It needs just more than 311,448 units in the fourth quarter to break the streak of annual declines, which looks very achievable.
So, as the company is now on course to end two straight years of falling annual deliveries, the question is whether that makes the stock worth buying. We don't think so.
BYD and NIO Q3 Deliveries
The competitive picture is still concerning, as Chinese EV makers including BYD Co Ltd. BYDDY and NIO Inc. NIO are witnessing strong sales growth.
BYD sold 762,478 passenger battery-electric vehicles in the third quarter of 2026, up roughly 31% year over year, per CnEVPost. That is far above Tesla's 486,532 deliveries, and the gap widened during the quarter. BYD is a serious challenger to Tesla.
NIO, once called the "Tesla of China," is also in a solid growth phase. It delivered 109,178 vehicles in the September quarter, up 25.4% year over year and within its guided range of 108,000 to 111,000 units.
Both Chinese makers grew over the past year, while Tesla's deliveries slipped. While the company eyes an end to two years of falling sales in 2026, Tesla’s overall narrative looks rather weak now.
Tesla's Story Has Evolved Beyond Cars
Tesla is no longer valued purely as an EV maker. Investors are mostly paying for its bets on AI-driven autonomy and the Optimus humanoid robot, which Musk has framed as the company's next growth chapters. This is where the gap between promise and progress is widest.
Tesla's robotaxi network had covered roughly 380,000 driverless miles, according to its second-quarter earnings release. Waymo has passed 220 million rider-only miles. Optimus is still at an early stage. Meanwhile, Tesla expects capital spending above $25 billion in 2026, which will keep free cash flow under pressure. These bets offer genuine long-term potential, but they must eventually produce meaningful financial returns to justify the cost.
The Core Business Offers Little Relief
Higher vehicle volumes in the first and second quarters of 2026 have not yet translated into stronger profits. In the last reported quarter, automotive gross margin excluding regulatory credits slipped to 16.3% as pricing pressure continued. Energy storage margins fell even more sharply to 20.4% from 39.5%, partly due to warranty costs and softer industrial pricing.
That is a worrying mix. Tesla is selling more vehicles and deploying more energy products, yet earning less on each. In the third quarter of 2026, Tesla deployed 13.7 GWh of energy storage products, up 9.6% year over year and 1.4% sequentially.
But if the automotive and energy businesses can't deliver healthy margins, they can't fund the ambitious projects that the stock’s valuation depends on.
Missed Timelines Erode Trust
Tesla recently moved its Roadster demonstration from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, citing severe weather in central Texas. A two-week delay is minor on its own. But it adds to a long record of postponements. Investors have grown used to Tesla missing deadlines, and each new slip makes the next promise harder to believe. That matters most now, because the company is asking investors to trust its least-proven projects.
Tesla’s Price Performance, Valuation & Estimates
Shares of Tesla have declined roughly 18% year to date, underperforming the industry.
From a valuation standpoint, TSLA trades at a forward price-to-sales ratio of 12.74, way above the industry and its own five-year average. It carries a Value Score of D.
Earnings estimates for Tesla have been revised downward in the past 60 days.
Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
Our Take
Tesla's delivery recovery is real, but beneath the headline numbers, margins are shrinking, spending is soaring and the bold AI-related projects are years behind where the valuation implies. Valuation is too stretched and estimates are declining in the face of headwinds.
Buying TSLA today means paying for a future that is unproven, from a company with a history of delays. In fact, with the stock up roughly 5% in the last trading session on the delivery beat, this could be an opportune time to sell if you are sitting on profits.
Tesla's Oct. 21 earnings report is much-awaited and will provide insights on margins and progress on its other projects. Tesla would need to show stronger margins and real, scalable progress in autonomy. Until then, the stock is best avoided.
TSLA stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).
You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
Zacks' Research Chief Names "Stock Most Likely to Double"
Our team of experts has just released the 5 stocks with the greatest probability of gaining +100% or more in the coming months. Of those 5, Director of Research Sheraz Mian highlights the one stock set to climb highest.
This innovative software-as-a-service firm upped its user base +22% year over year. That rate is increasing and margins are expanding as AI efficiencies take effect. Of course, all our elite picks aren't winners, but this one could far surpass earlier Zacks' Stocks Set to Double like D-Wave Quantum, which shot up +680.1%.
Free: See Our Top Stock And 4 Runners Up
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Tesla Set to Snap 2-Year Delivery Slump in 2026: Is TSLA a Buy Now?

Nio (NYSE:NIO), a premium smart electric vehicle (EV) maker, closed at $3.40, down 5.29%. Tuesday's slide followed reports tying pressure to Geely's (OTC:GELYF) purchased stake in Nio Power, and investors are watching November's Q3 results for margin progress.
Trading volume reached 53.8 million shares, coming in about 78% above its three-month average of 30.2 million shares. Nio IPO'd in 2018 and has fallen 48% since going public.
How the markets moved today
The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) closed at 7,670, down 0.18%, while the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) closed at 26,798, down 0.09%. Among China-based battery-electric vehicle peers, Li Auto (NASDAQ:LI) closed at $11.23, down 4.10%, and XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) closed at $9.47, down 4.82%; the weakness among peers echoed pressure across automobile manufacturers focused on battery-electric vehicles and the mobility services group.
What this means for investors
At first glance, Geely's interest in Nio's leading battery swap technology business, Nio Power, seems like a vote of confidence. Geely is the majority owner of Volvo (OTC:VLVLY) Cars and the parent company of EV maker Polestar (NASDAQ:PSNY).
Nio Power is the company's battery swapping and charging business, and this transaction values it at about $2.4 billion. Nio's market cap is currently at about $8 billion, so that's a meaningful part of Nio's valuation.
Investors are still rightly focused on Nio's path to profitability. EV sales volumes have been increasing, but it still reported a net loss of about $78 million in Q2. Nio's Q3 report could be a catalyst for the stock if it reports profitability, and its Nio Power business may be a long-term advantage, too.
Should you buy stock in Nio right now?
Before you buy stock in Nio, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nio wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $373,352!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,406,241!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 933% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 212% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 29, 2026.
Howard Smith has positions in Nio. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Stock Market Today, Sept. 29: Nio Slides on Geely's 30% Stake Purchase in Battery Swap Business

The NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator is up 113.21 to 30,390.02. The total Pre-Market volume is currently 190,255,671 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the pre-market session:
Nokia Corporation (NOK) is +0.192 at $10.31, with 3,734,826 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NOK is in the "buy range".
Ford Motor Company (F) is +0.01 at $12.39, with 3,193,293 shares traded. F's current last sale is 82.6% of the target price of $15.
NIO Inc. (NIO) is -0.12 at $3.47, with 3,129,126 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 64.26% of the target price of $5.4.
ACV Auctions Inc. (ACVA) is -0.05 at $10.41, with 1,612,273 shares traded. ACVA's current last sale is 99.14% of the target price of $10.5.
BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (BMNR) is +0.79 at $27.63, with 1,492,532 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for BMNR is in the "buy range".
SLB Limited (SLB) is -0.69 at $50.80, with 1,251,227 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for SLB is in the "buy range".

Pre-Market Most Active for Sep 29, 2026 : NOK, F, NIO, ACVA, BMNR, SLB

The NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator is down -170.94 to 30,437.19. The total Pre-Market volume is currently 111,268,982 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the pre-market session:
Nokia Corporation (NOK) is -0.1502 at $10.24, with 7,055,412 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NOK is in the "buy range".
VisionWave Holdings, Inc. (VWAV) is -0.47 at $4.40, with 6,627,192 shares traded.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is +3.73 at $228.80, with 6,432,376 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 8 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Oct 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.47. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) is +0.62 at $34.37, with 4,973,447 shares traded. This represents a 3.06% increase from its 52 Week Low.
ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) is -1.44 at $78.16, with 4,812,709 shares traded. This represents a 109.43% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Intel Corporation (INTC) is -2.97 at $120.03, with 3,495,253 shares traded. INTC's current last sale is 105.75% of the target price of $113.5.
GraniteShares 2x Long COIN Daily ETF (CONL) is +0.02 at $6.33, with 3,432,802 shares traded. This represents a 77.81% increase from its 52 Week Low.
NIO Inc. (NIO) is +0.06 at $3.64, with 2,221,277 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 67.41% of the target price of $5.4.
ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (ZTO) is +0.2 at $19.69, with 1,909,262 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for ZTO is in the "buy range".
Amprius Technologies, Inc. (AMPX) is +1.05 at $10.80, with 1,351,088 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for AMPX is in the "buy range".
Stellantis N.V. (STLA) is +0.13 at $4.73, with 1,142,897 shares traded., following a 52-week high recorded in prior regular session.
Oracle Corporation (ORCL) is -3.97 at $133.13, with 1,124,315 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 6 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Nov 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $1.57. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for ORCL is in the "buy range".

Pre-Market Most Active for Sep 28, 2026 : NOK, VWAV, NVDA, SQQQ, TQQQ, INTC, CONL, NIO, ZTO, AMPX, STLA, ORCL

(RTTNews) - NIO Inc. (NIO,NIO.SI,9866.HK) announced that it has entered into definitive agreements with subsidiaries of Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to form a strategic partnership in battery swapping and charging, advancing cooperation in China's electric vehicle infrastructure market.
Under the deal, a Geely subsidiary will contribute its entire stake in Yiyi Internet Technology (Chongqing) Co., Ltd., a provider of battery swapping services for commercial mobility customers, along with RMB640 million in cash, to acquire newly issued equity in NIO Energy Investment (Hubei) Co., Ltd., known as NIO Power.
The transaction values NIO Power at a post-money valuation of approximately RMB16 billion. Upon closing, the Geely unit will hold a 30% stake in NIO Power, while NIO Holding Co., Ltd. ("NIO China") will retain a controlling 63.6% interest. Existing investor Wuhan Guangchuang Emerging Technology Phase I Venture Capital Fund Partnership will own the remaining 6.4%.
The Geely subsidiary's ownership is subject to post-closing performance adjustments and could be reduced to no less than 20% if certain operational milestones are not met. The investor also received an option to make an additional RMB640 million investment within two years of closing or before NIO Power completes a new financing round. If exercised, Geely's stake would rise to 34%, while NIO China's holding would decrease to 60%.
Separately, NIO China agreed to acquire a 10% stake in Zhejiang Haohan Energy Technology Co., Ltd., Geely's battery charging business subsidiary. The cash proceeds will be used by Haohan Energy to purchase certain charging assets from NIO.
Beyond the equity investments, NIO and Geely outlined plans to expand collaboration on battery swapping technology and related services across passenger vehicles and commercial mobility operations affiliated with Geely. The move is expected to strengthen adoption of battery swapping solutions and accelerate the development of charging and energy service networks in China's rapidly growing EV market.
NIO.SI was trading at $3.6500 up $0.0100 or 0.27%.

NIO, Geely Deepen EV Infrastructure Ties Through RMB16 Billion Battery Services Deal

Key Points
Opendoor’s stock could recover once the housing market stabilizes.
NIO’s scale, moat, and improving profitability justify a higher valuation.
Strategy’s all-in bet on Bitcoin could pay off.
Many investors probably aren't in the mood to buy stocks right now. September is typically the worst month for stocks, and rising interest rates are driving more investors toward the safety of CDs, T-bills, and other fixed-income investments.
But as the bulls look the other way, investors who can stomach the near-term volatility should still consider nibbling on some stocks with tremendous long-term growth potential. I believe these four stocks -- Opendoor (NASDAQ: OPEN), NIO (NYSE: NIO), Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE), and Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR) -- could quadruple within the next four years.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Opendoor
Opendoor, the largest instant homebuyer (iBuyer) in the U.S., uses AI algorithms to make cash offers on homes. It then fixes up those properties and relists them on its own marketplace. That business model thrives when interest rates are low and the housing market is hot, but it faces formidable challenges when interest rates rise and the housing market cools off.
That's why Opendoor's stock now trades at just 0.3 times next year's sales and 93% below its all-time high. But at these bargain-bin valuations, much of the bad news is already priced into the stock. The Fed's recent interest rate hike suggests it will remain under pressure. However, if interest rates drop and the housing market recovers over the next decade, Opendoor's stock could easily quadruple and still be considered a bargain.
NIO
Nio, a major producer of electric vehicles (EVs) in China and Europe, trades at just 0.4 times next year's sales and 94% below its all-time high. But NIO isn't a small and speculative EV maker. It produces a wide range of electric sedans and SUVs, and it delivered 326,028 vehicles in 2025. Its vehicles are equipped with removable batteries that can be swapped out at its battery-swapping stations as a faster alternative to conventional chargers.
Nio's stock tumbled amid concerns regarding the costly expansion of its battery-swapping network and the production of its own first-party automotive chips. Intense competition also limited its pricing power and compressed its margins. However, NIO finally turned profitable on an adjusted basis in the first half of 2026, and its stock could soar if more investors value it like Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) -- which trades at 12 times next year's sales.
Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy develops solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), which can convert natural gas, biogas, hydrogen, propane, and hydrogen into electricity without any combustion. Its SOFC systems can also be deployed in less than two months, while conventional grid-based connections can take years to set up. Those advantages make them a popular choice for data center operators, who use these SOFC systems to satisfy the AI market's surging electricity demand.
Bloom's backlog swelled to $20 billion at the end of 2025. That's roughly ten times the $2.0 billion in revenue it generated in 2025. Bloom's stock has already soared 2,700% over the past two years as the AI market expanded, but it still doesn't seem overvalued at 12 times this year's sales. It could soar much higher as it converts more of its backlog into actual revenue.
Strategy
Strategy, the world's largest corporate holder of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), holds 846,000 Bitcoins. Those holdings are worth $70.6 billion today, compared to its market cap of $66.3 billion. Strategy trades at a discount to the net asset value (NAV) of its Bitcoin holdings because investors are concerned about its reliance on stock and debt offerings to fund those purchases. Strategy also occasionally sells some of its Bitcoin to fund its preferred stock dividends.
However, Bitcoin's price has risen nearly 40% to about $83,000 over the past three months. Strategy's executive chairman, Michael Saylor, believes its price could hit $21 million by 2046. If that happens, Strategy's stock could deliver big multibagger gains over the next decade.
Should you buy stock in Opendoor Technologies right now?
Before you buy stock in Opendoor Technologies, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Opendoor Technologies wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $386,781!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,379,943!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 936% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 25, 2026.
Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin, Bloom Energy, and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Founded in 1993 in Alexandria, VA., by brothers David and Tom Gardner, The Motley Fool is a multimedia financial-services company dedicated to building the world's greatest investment community. Reaching millions of people each month through its website, books, newspaper column, radio show, television appearances, and subscription newsletter services, The Motley Fool champions shareholder values and advocates tirelessly for the individual investor. The company's name was taken from Shakespeare, whose wise fools both instructed and amused, and could speak the truth to the king -- without getting their heads lopped off.

Prediction: These 4 Stocks Will 4x in the Next 10 Years

The NASDAQ 100 Pre-Market Indicator is up 153.34 to 30,632.2. The total Pre-Market volume is currently 86,420,362 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the pre-market session:
Greenland Energy Company (GLND) is +0.8205 at $6.17, with 13,805,377 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for GLND is in the "strong buy range".
iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) is +0.12 at $20.45, with 4,559,000 shares traded. This represents a 77.44% increase from its 52 Week Low.
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ) is -0.61 at $33.57, with 4,514,336 shares traded. This represents a .66% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Intel Corporation (INTC) is +0.5 at $127.89, with 3,282,899 shares traded. INTC's current last sale is 112.68% of the target price of $113.5.
ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) is +1.42 at $80.00, with 3,277,971 shares traded. This represents a 114.36% increase from its 52 Week Low.
iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) is -0.03 at $47.78, with 2,909,694 shares traded. This represents a 45.49% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Nokia Corporation (NOK) is +0.11 at $10.54, with 2,479,849 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NOK is in the "buy range".
Nike, Inc. (NKE) is -0.76 at $35.23, with 1,379,795 shares traded.NKE is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 10/1/2026, for the fiscal quarter ending Aug2026. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 0.44 per share, which represents a 49 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
BitMine Immersion Technologies, Inc. (BMNR) is +0.3038 at $28.33, with 1,067,060 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for BMNR is in the "buy range".
NIO Inc. (NIO) is -0.03 at $3.60, with 1,051,599 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 63.16% of the target price of $5.7.
ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (ZTO) is unchanged at $19.47, with 1,043,345 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for ZTO is in the "buy range".
Stellantis N.V. (STLA) is +0.05 at $4.52, with 965,142 shares traded., following a 52-week high recorded in prior regular session.

Pre-Market Most Active for Sep 25, 2026 : GLND, ETHA, SQQQ, INTC, TQQQ, IBIT, NOK, NKE, BMNR, NIO, ZTO, STLA

Key Points
NIO and Lucid both trade far below their all-time highs.
But NIO’s scale, diversification, and moat make it a more compelling turnaround play.
NIO (NYSE: NIO) and Lucid (NASDAQ: LCID) are both electric vehicle (EV) makers that initially soared after their public debuts but fizzled out over the following years.
Nio, a Chinese EV maker, went public at $6.26 per ADR in 2018. Its stock closed at a record high of $62.84 on Feb. 9, 2021, but now trades at less than $4. Lucid, based in the U.S., went public by merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on July 26, 2021. Its stock opened at a reverse split-adjusted price of $252.40 and set a record post-merger high of $577.50 less than four months later. But today, Lucid's stock trades at about $4.
Missed AI’s "Act 1"? Act 2 Could Be 15x Bigger. Most investors think they missed the AI boat because they didn't buy Nvidia in 2005. But according to our analysts, we’re only at the end of "Act 1"—the R&D phase. "Act 2" is the global rollout. Continue »
Both stocks look like dangerous investments in this wobbly market. But if I had to pick one as a turnaround play for the next decade, I'd pick NIO over Lucid for five simple reasons.
1. NIO produces more vehicles than Lucid
NIO produces a wide range of electric sedans and SUVs. It also produces cheaper SUVs and compact cars through its Onvo and Firefly sub-brands, respectively. It sells most of its vehicles in China, but it's been rapidly expanding into Europe.
From 2020 to 2025, NIO's annual vehicle deliveries surged from 43,728 in 2020 to 326,028 in 2025. Lucid, which launched its first sedan in 2021 and first SUV in 2024, increased its annual deliveries from 125 vehicles in 2021 to 15,841 vehicles in 2025.
2. NIO's business looks more sustainable
Lucid's year-over-year delivery growth is faster than NIO's, but it's still too early to tell whether it can achieve economies of scale and stabilize its margins.
In 2025, Lucid generated $1.35 billion in revenue but posted a net loss of $3.68 billion. NIO generated 128.3 billion yuan ($19.1 billion) in revenue with a net loss of 2.2 billion yuan ($330 million). NIO also achieved profitability on an adjusted basis (which excludes its stock-based compensation and other one-time expenses) in the first half of 2026.
3. NIO has clearer competitive advantages
NIO differentiates itself from its competitors by offering removable batteries that can be swapped at its own battery-swapping stations, as a faster alternative to conventional chargers.
It also sells a broad range of EVs across multiple price points -- its namesake brands target higher-end consumers, while its Firefly and Onvo brands target the lower-end market. Its in-house Shenji chips, which power its autonomous driving features, are also more powerful than Nvidia's comparable Orin-X chips.
Lucid's vehicles initially cost a lot more than Tesla's comparable vehicles. But after several price cuts, the base trims of its Air sedans and Gravity SUVs now cost roughly the same as Tesla's EVs. Lucid's EVs have a much longer range (about 100 miles) than Tesla's EVs, but it's still struggling to produce more vehicles and break out of its niche.
4. NIO is less dependent on big government backers
Back in 2020, Nio nearly went bankrupt before a government-backed investor group bailed it out with a $1 billion investment. But since then, Nio has proven that it can grow on its own by streamlining its spending and selling a higher mix of higher-margin vehicles.
Lucid has a similar relationship with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), which owns over 60% of its shares. But unlike NIO, Lucid hasn't proven that it can survive without that government support. Instead, it relies heavily on those investors to fund its ongoing expansion.
5. NIO's stock is cheaper
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect NIO's revenue to grow at a 25% CAGR. They also expect it to turn profitable in 2027 and nearly quintuple its net income in 2028. Those are robust growth rates for a stock that trades at just 0.5 times this year's sales.
From 2025 to 2028, analysts expect Lucid's revenue to grow at a 73% CAGR, but it's expected to stay deeply unprofitable. It only trades at one time this year's sales, but it will struggle to command a higher valuation unless it meaningfully ramps up its production.
So while both of these EV stocks look like risky bets today, NIO clearly has a better shot at revisiting its record highs over the next decade. Lucid claims it has enough liquidity to last through 2027, but it hasn't proven its business is as sustainable as NIO's.
Should you buy stock in Nio right now?
Before you buy stock in Nio, consider this:
The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Nio wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.
Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $384,839!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,385,657!*
Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 936% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 213% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.
*Stock Advisor returns as of September 24, 2026.
Leo Sun has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Nvidia and Tesla. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Prediction: NIO Is a Better Buy Than Lucid for the Next Decade

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is down -4.54 to 30,465.75. The total After hours volume is currently 165,689,115 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session:
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) is -0.02 at $30.74, with 8,369,317 shares traded. WBD's current last sale is 99.16% of the target price of $31.
Grab Holdings Limited (GRAB) is +0.008 at $3.21, with 7,075,970 shares traded. As reported in the last short interest update the days to cover for GRAB is 8.284295; this calculation is based on the average trading volume of the stock.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is -0.15 at $225.36, with 6,438,183 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 9 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Oct 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.47. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
NIO Inc. (NIO) is +0.01 at $3.68, with 5,266,173 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 64.56% of the target price of $5.7.
Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) is +0.05 at $22.60, with 4,751,971 shares traded. CMCSA's current last sale is 77.93% of the target price of $29.
The Trade Desk, Inc. (TTD) is +0.0098 at $12.69, with 4,311,869 shares traded., following a 52-week high recorded in today's regular session.
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is +0.12 at $61.27, with 4,024,355 shares traded. BMY's current last sale is 90.1% of the target price of $68.
Grifols, S.A. (GRFS) is unchanged at $7.20, with 3,601,412 shares traded.GRFS is scheduled to provide an earnings report on 9/28/2026, for the fiscal quarter ending Jun2026. The consensus earnings per share forecast is 0.27 per share, which represents a 19 percent increase over the EPS one Year Ago
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (PBR) is unchanged at $21.14, with 3,497,634 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for PBR is in the "buy range".
Rocket Companies, Inc. (RKT) is +0.0294 at $12.18, with 3,211,368 shares traded. RKT's current last sale is 67.66% of the target price of $18.
Roblox Corporation (RBLX) is +0.0875 at $49.08, with 3,004,821 shares traded. RBLX's current last sale is 104.42% of the target price of $47.
Realty Income Corporation (O) is +0.04 at $55.65, with 2,591,961 shares traded., following a 52-week high recorded in today's regular session.

After Hours Most Active for Sep 23, 2026 : WBD, GRAB, NVDA, NIO, CMCSA, TTD, BMY, GRFS, PBR, RKT, RBLX, O

The NASDAQ 100 After Hours Indicator is down -27.89 to 30,704.51. The total After hours volume is currently 183,103,979 shares traded.
The following are the most active stocks for the after hours session:
Transocean Ltd. (RIG) is -0.01 at $5.48, with 12,770,225 shares traded. RIG's current last sale is 91.33% of the target price of $6.
NIO Inc. (NIO) is +0.01 at $3.73, with 12,330,938 shares traded. NIO's current last sale is 65.44% of the target price of $5.7.
Intel Corporation (INTC) is -0.37 at $123.49, with 8,591,137 shares traded. INTC's current last sale is 108.8% of the target price of $113.5.
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) is -0.8715 at $228.00, with 7,244,095 shares traded. Over the last four weeks they have had 9 up revisions for the earnings forecast, for the fiscal quarter ending Oct 2026. The consensus EPS forecast is $2.47. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for NVDA is in the "buy range".
Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) is -0.57 at $746.89, with 7,072,620 shares traded. This represents a 34.43% increase from its 52 Week Low.
Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) is -0.12 at $106.32, with 5,421,654 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for CSCO is in the "buy range".
Coeur Mining, Inc. (CDE) is -0.06 at $20.43, with 3,712,607 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for CDE is in the "buy range".
Arbutus Biopharma Corporation (ABUS) is unchanged at $5.01, with 3,546,050 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for ABUS is in the "strong buy range".
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is unchanged at $62.25, with 3,160,499 shares traded. BMY's current last sale is 91.54% of the target price of $68.
Nu Holdings Ltd. (NU) is -0.01 at $14.15, with 2,968,421 shares traded. NU's current last sale is 78.18% of the target price of $18.1.
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is +0.2666 at $340.02, with 2,721,309 shares traded. AAPL's current last sale is 100.75% of the target price of $337.5.
Bank of America Corporation (BAC) is +0.15 at $56.35, with 2,719,821 shares traded. As reported by Zacks, the current mean recommendation for BAC is in the "buy range".