Nio's Shenji NX9031 Chip Begins First External Technology Licensing
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Nio's self-developed Shenji NX9031 5nm intelligent driving chip, with 4x Orin-X power, begins its first external technology licensing to an automotive chip firm, potentially saving 10,000 RMB per vehicle.
Nio's in-house high-level intelligent driving chip Shenji NX9031 has started external technology supply, licensing to an automotive chip company, according to LatePost Auto.
The NX9031, built on a 5nm automotive-grade process with computing power about four times that of Nvidia's Orin-X, is already integrated in models like ET9, 2025 ES6, and EC6. CEO Li Bin noted it delivers around 10,000 RMB in per-vehicle cost savings.
The project, launched in 2021, involves a 600+ person team spanning front-end/back-end design, verification, and testing—nearing a full independent chip firm's scale—and investments surpassing those of XPeng and Li Auto's concurrent efforts. Li Bin revealed the R&D spend equals building 1,000 battery swap stations, estimated at tens of billions RMB.
In March 2025, Li Bin stated at the China Electric Vehicle 100 Forum that Nio's chips and OS would open to the industry: "If you want the best chip, come to Nio." In June, Nio established Anhui Shenji Technology for chip R&D, production, and licensing, retaining full control.
Industry sources indicate licensing values vary: single IP deals in the millions USD; full SoC system tech in the hundreds of millions RMB.
Source: Aifanr
