NIO Inc. (NIO) kicked off the weekend with some good news for investors: July deliveries surged 71% from a year ago, hitting 35,934 vehicles. The electric vehicle maker continues to expand its footprint across three brands, and the numbers show it's not just the flagship NIO brand doing the heavy lifting.

NIO July Deliveries Jump 71%

Let's break down the numbers. In July 2026, NIO delivered 35,934 vehicles, a solid 71% jump year-over-year. The breakdown: 20,008 NIO-brand vehicles, 10,155 ONVO vehicles, and 5,771 FIREFLY vehicles. Year-to-date, deliveries are up 68% to 227,057 vehicles, and cumulative deliveries have reached 1,224,649 as of July 31.

ES8 Lineup Expansion

Part of the momentum comes from the ES8 lineup. NIO started delivering the All-New ES8 Five-Seat Version on July 10, expanding the flagship to five-, six-, and seven-seat configurations. That's a smart move to capture the premium large five-seat and three-row battery-electric SUV segments. The All-New ES8 also hit a milestone: 130,000 cumulative deliveries on July 22, just 305 days after its market launch in late September 2025. Not too shabby.

Chinese EV Peer Performance

How do NIO's rivals stack up? XPeng Inc. (XPEV) delivered 38,027 vehicles in July, up 4% year-over-year. Li Auto Inc. (LI) delivered 30,468 vehicles, down 0.9% from 30,731 a year earlier and 1.4% from 30,895 in June. Li Auto also launched the new Li L6 and expanded its overseas footprint during the month. So NIO's growth is outpacing its peers, at least in percentage terms.

NIO Stock: Critical Levels To Watch

Now, let's talk about the stock. At $4.88, NIO shares are sitting just above their 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $4.82, but they're still below the 50-day SMA of $5.09 and the 200-day SMA of $5.51. That keeps the broader trend bearish, even with the recent bounce. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is at 49.88, which suggests neutral momentum—buyers and sellers are pretty balanced right now.

Traders should keep an eye on the June death cross, which remains a cautionary signal. Near-term resistance is likely at $5.00, a psychological level that could cap any short-term rebounds, followed by the 50-day SMA near $5.09.

NIO Earnings Preview And Wall Street Analyst Targets

The next big catalyst for NIO is the earnings report, estimated for September 1, 2026. Analysts are expecting a loss of 7 cents per share, a significant improvement from the loss of 25 cents in the same quarter last year. Revenue is projected at $4.87 billion, up from $2.65 billion. That's a massive jump, reflecting the company's growth trajectory.

Wall Street is generally optimistic. The stock carries a Buy rating with an average price target of $6.90. Recent analyst actions include Goldman Sachs upgrading to Buy with a $7.00 forecast on July 13, and HSBC upgrading to Buy with a $6.80 target on March 13.

In premarket trading on Monday, NIO shares were down 1.02% at $4.83, according to market data. So while the delivery numbers are strong, the stock is still navigating a tricky technical landscape.