The first model from Nio’s mass-market Onvo brand will serve as a rival to the Tesla Model Y and use batteries sourced from BYD. The first model from this brand, known as the L60, will be offered with two battery packs. The entry-level one is tipped to be a 60 kWh lithium iron phosphate unit supplied by BYD subsidiary FinDreams. A second battery pack, which could be either 85 kWh or 90 kWh, will be provided by CALB, which already serves as an important Nio supplier.
Nio originally planned to produce
batteries for the Onvo brand in-house but ditched these plans in December to
cut costs, Reuters reports. Several Onvo L60 prototypes have been spied in
recent months and photos of an uncamouflaged prototype also surfaced on Chinese
social media site Weibo in March. The overall shape and proportions of the L60,
as well as the rear hatch design, are similar to the Tesla Model Y. There’ll be
no confusing the two from the front end, however, as the Nio rocks split LED
headlights.
Chinese reports suggest Nio is determined
to make the L60 more energy efficient than the Model Y and will use a 900-volt
electrical architecture. It is also expected to utilize a new generation of
electric motor designed and developed in-house. While the car’s battery packs
will be sourced from external suppliers, the L60 should still support the
brand’s battery-swapping technology.
Prices for the Onvo L60 have not been
announced, although some sources suggest it could start at around 220,000 yuan
(US$ 30,500). Customers who opt for the battery subscription service could
benefit from a lower starting price of just 170,000 yuan (US$ 23,550). While the
L60 will initially be sold exclusively in China, Nio is expected to offer it in
Europe as part of its ongoing expansion across the Old Continent. However, a
U.S. launch is highly unlikely.
