Nio Alps

Li said in a short video on Douyin that he took test rides and test drove the first model of the Onvo brand on the Nio factory campus.

Nio confirmed the Onvo name and said the brand's official launch is expected in early-mid May.

Two uncamouflaged spy photos of a model allegedly under Nio's second brand are circulating on social media today, with the rear end showing the vehicle's English brand name as Onvo.

Nio lists 53 available positions for "New Strategic Business," with store managers and human resources specialists making up the bulk of the roles.

Nio's Alps sub-brand will debut in the second quarter, with the first model launching in the third quarter and volume deliveries beginning in the fourth quarter.

The camouflage-wrapped car has a few words on its rear window that mean it's better than Tesla's Model Y.

Those who have been looking to buy a Model Y lately can wait a little while, as Alps' first model is certainly cheaper, said Nio's William Li.

Nio still needs to get its strategic direction sorted out before it can expect to turn profitable in the foreseeable future, particularly for its second brand, Alps, analysts at CMB International said.

Nio has an aggressive target for the first model of Alps codenamed DOM, despite the short delivery window available during the year, according to the local media.

Alps will use a pure vision solution similar to Tesla's on its smart driving system to cut costs, according to local media.