(Yicai Global) Nov. 2 -- Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio is setting up its overseas division -- temporarily codenamed the 'Marco Polo Project' -- to sell the carmaker's autos in Europe.

Nio already has a team in charge of its export business, which has recently recruited more staffers with plans to sell 7,000 ES8 and ES6 models in Europe, technology and transport media Equal Ocean reported online today, citing a company source. The core of Nio's export business is service-oriented, and includes one-stop service and charging with one click.

Chen Chen, who was formerly in charge of sales for BMW MINI East, and now serves as Nio's senior director of sales and management, may take charge of the Marco Polo Project, as well as the company's export business, while Wei Jian, the firm's vice president of User Operations, may take over Nio Houses -- exclusive clubhouses for customers -- which constitute the company's sales and service outlets overseas.

Nio, which is based in Hefei, the capital of China's eastern Anhui province, plans to enter the sixth-largest continent in the second half of next year and to expand its footprint even further in 2022 to 2024, its founder William Li told Yicai Global in August. "We will evaluate where our products and services are most readily accepted and make flexible adjustments," he said.

Nio also included [non-EU member] Norway in its overseas business plan for Europe, an insider said. Xpeng Motors, another Chinese EV startup, exported its G3i models to Europe in September, which reached Norway first.

"The budget of over EUR40,000 (USD46,713.8) will have a wide range of choices in terms of car-buying in Europe," noted Ye Yongqing, the former vice president Strategy of Jaguar Land Rover China. Ye rhetorically asked why European customers do not choose the more mature local brands they are more familiar with? Nio's sales price starts from about EUR35,000 per the model of 'backend as a service,' which affords the carmaker pricing advantages, he answered.

Nio now has three car models, to wit the ES6, ES8 and EC6. Their stickers range from CNY358,000 (USD53,537.50) to CNY624,000.

Editor: Ben Armour