April 4th is the traditional Qingming Festival in China—a time when people visit ancestral graves and burn paper-made items, including fake money, to honor and remember loved ones who have passed away. It’s a somber occasion, centered around mourning and reflection. However, for one of Nio’s marketing managers, this year’s Qingming was especially difficult. According to media reports, a marketing manager from Onvo, a sub-brand of Nio, was fired after posting an “inappropriate flyer” during the holiday break.

In the flyer, he used a Chinese phrase that can be directly translated as: “Swap your batteries this Qingming — leave anytime.” This was seen as highly insensitive, as the phrase “leave” (走) in Chinese is often interpreted as a euphemism for dying, especially during the Qingming Festival—a time dedicated to honoring the deceased. According to media reports, the flyer was reported to Nio’s marketing department by an anonymous user. Shortly after, the marketing manager who created the flyer was dismissed from his job, and his team leader received a formal warning from the company’s headquarters.

Beyond the sensitivity of the Qingming Festival, the timing of the flyer was particularly problematic for Nio. It came shortly after a widely publicized crash involving the Xiaomi SU7, which resulted in the deaths of three college-aged girls. The incident has raised concerns across Chinese social media about the safety of electric vehicles, and a slogan associated with death can be an absolute trigger for the public.

According to information disclosed by Nio, the company delivered a total of 221,970 vehicles in 2024, marking a 38.7% year-on-year increase. The Nio brand accounted for 201,209 deliveries, up 25.7% year-on-year, while the newly launched Onvo brand contributed 20,761 units. In February, Nio set a new record with 136,748 battery swaps completed in a single day. The company also signed a partnership agreement with CATL to build battery swap stations together.

Source: Sina.cn