Despite the good quality of its cars — far above the average of Chinese competitors (read our Nio ET5 review here)— Nio still hasn’t convinced Danish customers. Even with a new importer behind it (Nic. Christiansen), which took over the brand after most of the previous team was dismissed in March 2024, along with the plan to open the Nio House in Kultorvet, Copenhagen, by January 2026 the Chinese startup had registered just one car.
Nio’s problems in Europe
Chinese electric car manufacturer Nio has never posted a profit — but now, according to the company itself, that is about to change.
In the Nordic region and across Europe, however, the situation remains fragile. In March 2024, the Danish country manager and most of the local staff were dismissed, marking a major retreat from the market. The brand later withdrew completely from Denmark, only to return under the support of private importer Nic. Christiansen Group.
Infrastructure has also been scaled back. Nio’s only battery-swap station in Slagelse has been dismantled, reflecting the broader slowdown of its European ambitions. The picture is no brighter further south: in Germany, Europe’s largest car market, the company reportedly sold just a single vehicle during the entire month of January, according to NTV.
While European sales remain weak, performance in China is improving. Nio now claims that, for the first time since its founding in November 2014, it is generating a profit. In recent years the company has burned through vast sums of capital — including a reported deficit equivalent to roughly 23 billion kroner in China during 2024 alone.
According to its own figures, the turnaround already began in the fourth quarter of 2025. Nio now expects a full-year profit in the range of 700 million to 1.1 billion kroner by the end of this year.
Back in Denmark, results remain modest. Even with the support of Nic. Christiansen, Nio registered just one car in January. Instead, the Chinese manufacturer is pinning its European hopes on its new budget-oriented sub-brand Firefly, whose first model — simply called Firefly — is intended to reach a broader and more price-sensitive audience across the continent.
