No wonder Chinese people prefer their own cars. A couple sold a used Land Rover and bought a new, better Nio ES9.

In Europe, this isn’t as noticeable—unless we read sales reports from automotive companies—but in China, local car manufacturers have sparked a real revolution. People who previously preferred more expensive and prestigious Western brands now have access to a wide range of technologically advanced “Made in China” models. Stories like the one below occur quite frequently, because when something is better and cheaper, what’s the point of wasting money on outdated combustion engine technology?

Sold their Land Rover, bought a top-tier Nio ES9, and still had money left

A Chinese couple boasted online that they bought a Land Rover three years ago for 1.7 million yuan, equivalent to 0.92 million zloty. Now, after three years, they listed it for just under 0.86 million yuan, equivalent to 470 thousand zloty, and eventually sold it for 0.7 million yuan, equivalent to 380 thousand zloty. Over three years, they lost 1 million yuan on the car, equivalent to over 540 thousand zloty, but they seemed prepared for it.

The ES9 is so affordable that these Range Rover owners could trade their old vehicle for a brand new ES9.

The competition is effed.#NIO $NIO pic.twitter.com/irTQzj9C2Z

— CovidNoGood (@CovidNoGood) June 6, 2026

But most importantly: after selling their three-year-old diesel Land Rover, they had enough money to buy a Nio ES9, the flagship and largest model in the Nio lineup. Prices for the Nio ES9 with a battery included start at 498,000 yuan, equivalent to 270,000 Polish zlotys. If the buyer chooses to pay for the battery through a subscription, the initial cost can be reduced to 390,000 yuan, equivalent to 210,000 Polish zlotys. Even the most fully equipped Nio ES9 Horizon variant costs from 628,000 yuan, equivalent to 340,000 Polish zlotys — and for that amount, you get an F-segment SUV with a length of 5.365 meters, a wheelbase of 3.25 meters, a width of 2.029 meters, and a height of 1.87 meters.

The car is a close relative of Nio’s most luxurious sedan in the lineup, the ET9, except with a raised body. Powered by a CATL battery, the Nio ES9 has a capacity of 102 kWh, delivering 580-620 CLTC miles and around 450-480 WLTP miles [based on preliminary calculations by Elektrowozu]. And if that’s not enough for someone, they can upgrade to a 150 kWh version with semi-solid-state cells. The vehicle supports ultra-fast charging and can also use battery swap stations, where “charging” takes just a few minutes. The Nio ES9 boasts 520 kW/707 horsepower (180 kW + 340 kW) of power, with a torque of 700 Nm, enabling it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.

Editor’s note from Elektrowozu: Europe needs a revolution in lower price segments, but we wouldn’t be upset at all if local manufacturers suddenly made it possible for every Pole to afford a car one or two segments higher than the one they currently drive, preferably with better equipment and more modern software. The example of Chinese brands shows that this is achievable.

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