On June 29, a large number of NIO owners reported on social media that the NIO app was crashing immediately upon launch. The related hashtag "#NIOOwnersStandingInPenaltyBox" trended on Weibo. The issue primarily affected iPhone users, whose app would crash instantly upon opening, preventing access to the control interface; Android users were unaffected and could use the app normally. Some owners also reported that their smartphone Bluetooth key function failed—vehicles showed no response when approached and could not be unlocked via proximity detection. That day, many owners called NIO’s 400 customer service hotline for assistance. Customer service representatives uniformly advised users to “uninstall and reinstall” the app. Several owners, after multiple unsuccessful phone restarts, restored vehicle unlocking functionality by uninstalling and reinstalling the app. Early on June 30, NIO’s 400 customer service stated that the root cause had been identified and resolved, and that an updated version of the app was being rolled out in batches. Users experiencing the issue would receive an update prompt and could resolve the problem by upgrading. At that time, NIO had not yet issued an official public statement regarding the incident. On the same day, NIO’s official Weibo account “NIO Xiao Laba” released a clarification regarding a separate issue involving paint defects on the ES9 model. Previously, some owners reported that after using a commercial high-pressure water gun to rinse the front bumper from close range, large sections of paint peeled off, exposing the underlying substrate. In response, NIO stated it had already communicated with the affected owner and emphasized that the ES9’s front bumper injection-molded components are supplied by a leading industry vendor and manufactured under a stringent quality management system. According to NIO, the paint’s thickness, adhesion, and impact resistance were all developed and validated according to international standards such as ISO and SAE. The company conducts 100% cross-hatch adhesion tests and high-pressure water jet tests monthly for all color variants of its vehicles and performs annual aging and other type-approval tests. NIO specifically cautioned that when the nozzle of a high-pressure water gun is held closer than 200 mm to the surface, localized pressure can exceed 100 bar, potentially causing irreversible damage to the paintwork, and urged owners to follow the manufacturer’s recommended car-washing guidelines. Public information shows that the NIO ES9 is a six-seat, tech-focused flagship all-electric SUV, launched on May 27, 2026, with a starting price of RMB 498,000, or RMB 390,000 under the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) plan. In May 2026, NIO delivered 37,705 vehicles, a year-over-year increase of 62.3%. From January to May 2026, cumulative deliveries reached 150,526 units, up 68.7% year-over-year.