A case study and empirical examination of creating a new premium new energy vehicle brand by NIO

Purpose The purpose is to investigate how to create a new premium new energy vehicle brand. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a two-stage design. Firstly, a single-case study of NIO was undertaken to execute a thematic analysis, from which propositions were proposed and a theoretical model was constructed. Subsequently, quantitative data were collected through the questionnaire method to empirically test the model developed in the first stage. Findings NIO creates great user experience through four aspects: product, service, digital touchpoints and lifestyle. Functional experience is shaped by product and digital touchpoints, while emotional experience is affected by service and lifestyle. NIO wins extremely high user satisfaction through great user experience. User satisfaction is affected by both functional and emotional experience. Taking extremely satisfied users as the core, NIO leverages word-of-mouth recommendations to increase brand awareness and build premium brand image, so as to achieve high performance in the long term. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by proposing and testing a theoretical model of creating a new premium new energy vehicle brand. It highlights the significance of emotional factors in the process of creating a new premium brand. It proposes employing the “ripple model” to translate user satisfaction into financial performance. It provides a three-step guide to creating a new premium brand for managers.