Nio’s CEO William Li emphasized that employees must be fully committed to the electric car startup’s goal of achieving profitability this quarter, calling it the foundation for the company’s sustainable growth, 21st Century Business Herald reported.

“This is the result our entire team must deliver to prove our operational efficiency and management capabilities,” Li reportedly told a meeting of mid- and senior-level managers on Oct. 17. “Profitability in the fourth quarter is not to impress others, but rather the cornerstone of Nio’s long-term sustainable development,” he added.

Li initially set the profitability target in March and has repeatedly reaffirmed the goal in public statements throughout the year, including during the Shanghai-based automaker’s earnings conference call last month.