On January 9, according to Wandian Auto, NIO Capital will invest tens of millions of dollars (seed round) in an electric vehicle start-up company, Zhixing. The startup’s first car will be an ultra-high-end SUV with a price of one million yuan. It is expected to be released in 2025 and will be launched in overseas markets simultaneously.

According to reports, Li Bin, the founder and chairman of NIO, once said internally that incubating the project is NIO’s “strategic layout in market segments.”

According to reports, Zhixing is positioned as a high-end smart electric vehicle brand, focusing on the adventure and off-road markets. Zhixing will carry out special research and development under the authorization of NIO’s technology platform. Based on NIO NT 3.0 platform, it supports 800V ultra-fast charging and battery replacement mode. The first new car will adopt the NIO NT 3.0 platform, and will cooperate deeply with NIO in terms of technology platform, supply chain, and charging system.

NT 3.0 is NIO’s third-generation digital platform, including electronic and electrical architecture, electronic control, smart cockpit and smart driving technology. It is still in the research and development process and is expected to launch related models in 2024.