The Onvo L90, the second model from Nio‘s mass-market sub-brand, achieved China’s highest five-star safety rating in the latest round of C-NCAP crash test evaluations, scoring 91.0% overall.
A year ago, the debut model of the brand — the five seat SUV L60 — scored 89.2% achieving also a five star safety rating.
In occupant protection, the model scored 95.98%, exceeding the 91.60% average for tested vehicles.
The C-NCAP evaluation, conducted on the Pro six-seater variant priced at 265,800 yuan ($37,700), showed the L90 outperforming the tested vehicle average in three of four major assessment categories.
The results validate safety claims made by Nio Group founder and Chief Executive Officer William Li at the vehicle’s official launch on July 31.
Back then, the EV maker said the L90 had passed 62 crash tests that go well beyond industry requirements, including what he described as China’s first high-speed, front-and-rear truck collision test conducted in rainy conditions.
The SUV scored 92.86% in active safety versus an average of 86.57%, and earned perfect marks in far-side occupant protection, pedestrian leg protection, and vehicle lighting effectiveness.
The model scored slightly below average in vulnerable road user protection at 78.64% compared to 79.29%.
The L90’s crashworthiness stems from a three-compartment steel-aluminum hybrid body structure, with aluminum alloy and high-strength steel comprising 84% of the build.
All variants come equipped with nine airbags as standard, including a 137-liter front passenger “fox ear-shaped” airbag, a 40-liter far-side center airbag, and 2,920-millimeter side curtain airbags extending from the first to third row with a combined volume of 56 liters.
Onvo officially commenced sales of the L90 at a launch event in Hangzhou, offering both six-seater and seven-seater configurations.
Pricing starts at 265,800 yuan, or 179,800 yuan for customers opting for Nio‘s battery-as-a-service subscription model.
Deliveries of the six-seater version began August 1, with the seven-seat variant following in late September.
In total, the Nio Group will launch three new large SUV models in 2026, Li said during the company’s third-quarter earnings call held last month.
The EV maker has recently delayed the launch of the L80, a large five-seat SUV that shares exterior design with the L90.
