Shanghai-based Nio Group is expanding its subscription-based vehicle offering across all three of its brands through a broader partnership with Alipay, introducing Onvo vehicles and the ES8 SUV to the platform.
The collaboration was first announced at the 2025 Guangzhou Auto Show in November, when CEO William Li unveiled the program for the more affordable Firefly EV.
The service, called the ‘Sesame 800 Car Subscription Service,’ is powered by Ant Group’s Alipay platform.
Customers with a ‘Zhima Credit’ score of 800 or above can access vehicles with zero deposit and zero down payment.
SuperEV, the first company in China to offer car subscription services, operates the program.
It handles booking, delivery, logistics, and customer management, while Nio supplies the vehicles and provides access to its ecosystem, including Nio House locations and the Nio App.
The platform offers a tiered system: 7-day trial subscriptions, flexible 1–12 month plans, and long-term 24–60 month commitments.
Users access the service by searching for ‘Zhima Credit’ within Alipay, tapping ‘Car Subscription,’ and selecting a vehicle.
According to images shared by the company, the service is available in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Hefei, and additional cities.
Models Available
The subscription service includes both Onvo models — the L60 and L90 — starting from 2,999 yuan per month ($430).
It marks the first time Onvo vehicles have been offered through a subscription-based service.
The Firefly EV is also included at 2,399 yuan per month ($350).
It was first introduced through a “Firefly 7-Day Car Subscription” trial, after which customers could choose monthly plans or purchase the vehicle outright.
That pilot, which first went live in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, served as China’s first credit-driven car subscription.
The third-generation Nio ES8 is also available for 6,999 yuan ($1,000) per month.
Wednesday’s launch represents a major evolution of the model, introducing longer commitment periods and higher-end vehicles — with one- and two-year plans available for the Onvo models, according to the brand.
Nio Subscription
Nio first introduced a subscription-based model in European markets, where leasing is more common.
The EV maker entered Europe in late 2021 starting with Norway, and expanded to Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark a year later.
At a launch event in Berlin in October 2022, the company announced that vehicles would only be available through a ‘Nio Subscription’ service — allowing consumers to lease but not buy.
Nio reversed the decision two weeks later after customer backlash and introduced traditional buying options.
“At Nio, we believe in the power of community and constant exchange. We value all opinions and ideas,” the company stated at the time. “As a user enterprise, we want to grow and share joy together. William, our Founder and CEO, already shared that we will offer our models for purchase.”
Outlook
The subscription launch comes at a transitional moment for Onvo.
After a strong initial ramp with the L60 and L90, Onvo deliveries softened in early 2026 following the phase-out of China’s trade-in subsidies.
The brand delivered 2,981 vehicles in February — less than 20% of the Group’s 20,797 units.
The company saw a 57.6% year-over-year increase, driven primarily by the premium Nio brand and the success of the new ES8 SUV.
nio group monthlyOnvo is preparing to launch the L80, a five-seat variant of the L90, in mid-May — coinciding with the brand’s anniversary.
The unveiling event is planned for mid-April, when the Beijing Auto Show takes place.
Firefly, for which deliveries officially began a year ago, is also seeing domestic sales stagnate.
Nio is betting on the brand for its overseas expansion, with its most recent market launch being Thailand earlier this month.
The company recently opened its first multi-brand store, bringing the three brands under one roof, as it aims to boost demand for the two sub-brands.
