- The two models had previously been part of a clear plan, but were put on hold during Nio's CBU reform early last year.
- The two new vehicles are primarily targeted at the 200,000 yuan ($28,930) mass market segment.
Nio Inc's sub-brand Onvo is reportedly developing two new models to expand its product lineup and boost sales.
The brand is developing a sedan and a new SUV (sport utility vehicle) aimed primarily at the 200,000 yuan ($28,930) mass market, local media outlet LatePost reported on Friday.
The sedan is mainly targeted at small families while also catering to commercial use scenarios, the report said, citing people familiar with the project.
These two models had clear plans previously, but the projects were temporarily suspended early last year when Nio implemented its cell business unit (CBU) reform, according to LatePost.
Development of the two new vehicles officially resumed at the end of August 2025. Onvo may also launch more new models in the mass market depending on market conditions, the report said.
Internally, Nio currently believes it is unrealistic to drive up sales with just two or three models, especially in the fiercely competitive mainstream price segment.
High-end models like the Nio ES8 tend to have obvious cyclical sales, making it difficult for such premium vehicles to maintain high sales volumes over the long term, LatePost noted.
Capitalizing on the current momentum to quickly flesh out the Onvo brand's product line has become particularly urgent for Nio Inc.
Onvo currently has only two models on sale: the L60 mid-size electric SUV and the L90 large electric SUV.
The strong sales performance of the Onvo L90 following its launch in late July 2025, along with market feedback after the third-generation ES8 began pre-sales in late August last year, are the main reasons for the resumption of the two projects, LatePost cited people close to Nio as saying.
The L90's sales surpassed 10,000 units in its first month on the market, driving Nio Inc's total sales to achieve a 55.2% year-on-year growth for that month.
The all-new ES8 opened for pre-sales on August 21 and was officially launched on September 20. The model's 2025 production capacity of 40,000 units sold out within two days of its launch.
The success of the Onvo brand is crucial for Nio to achieve sustained profitability, as Nio has long been a company with high expenses, LatePost said.
Built on Nio's existing research and development and supply chain systems, every additional vehicle Onvo sells generates revenue that can further amortize the group's upfront fixed investments.
The biggest uncertainty remains whether Nio can sustain its execution capabilities from the second half of last year, as a larger market means fierce competition with over a dozen Chinese brands, the report noted.
Furthermore, Nio is stepping up its overall offensive in the SUV market. Both Nio's new ES9 SUV and Onvo's new L80 SUV will officially announce pricing and begin deliveries in May this year, the company's co-founder and president Qin Lihong said in February.
Onvo will also add a LiDAR-equipped version to its L60 SUV, shifting from a pure-vision strategy to a sensor-fusion strategy, according to regulatory filings earlier this month.
($1 = 6.9123 yuan)
