Nio‘s sub-brand Onvo will not upgrade the chips or cameras on existing L60 and L90 models, brand chief Shen Fei said at an offline event on Sunday.
The long-term Nio executive and former ‘Nio Power’ chief confirmed that current owners of the vision-only versions will not receive hardware enhancements even as the company prepares to launch a LiDAR-equipped L90.
The comments come weeks after Shen sought to reassure existing owners following news that Onvo would add LiDAR sensors to the L90, a shift from the vision-based approach the sub-brand had promoted since launch.
The focus remains on optimizing intelligent driving and cockpit functions with existing hardware, according to Shen.
OSD Upgrades
Onvo‘s intelligent driving system, known as OSD, will receive two major upgrades this year, Shen said Sunday.
The system focuses on active safety features including automatic emergency braking and automatic emergency steering, with dual paths of pure vision and LiDAR.
Onvo‘s OSD upgrades will be developed and iterated based on Nio’s World Model, the artificial intelligence foundation that powers the parent brand’s intelligent driving system.
Earlier this month, Shen said Onvo would release a “major iteration” of its pure-vision driver assistance system after the Chinese New Year holiday.
“Version 2.1.0 was just a new version we released in 2025,” Shen said during an offline session. “In 2026, I believe — and we definitely have plans — the version after Spring Festival will also have some major iterations. Everyone can rest assured.”
LiDAR L90 Coming in Q2
A regulatory filing published earlier this month by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology provided the first official look at the LiDAR-equipped L90, showing the model will incorporate a sensor unit at the front center of the roof, similar to Nio vehicles.
Shen confirmed on Weibo that the LiDAR variant would launch in the second quarter and be priced higher than current versions.
“Pure-vision version owners don’t need to have any concerns — the pure-vision version already has over 100,000 users, and we will continue selling it,” Shen wrote. “We will also continue to upgrade via OTA.”
Neither of Onvo‘s currently available models — the L60 compact SUV and L90 three-row SUV — includes LiDAR sensors, unlike Nio’s premium brand which offers the technology as standard.
Product Updates
The L60 and L90 will receive annual facelifts, Shen said Sunday.
The L90 will add a LiDAR-equipped version while the L60 will stick to a pure vision solution for its intelligent driving system.
Onvo plans to launch the L90’s under-floor trunk freezer before June, and ‘Nio Radio’ will integrate into Onvo infotainment systems in June, Shen added.
The L80 SUV will also launch this year after being delayed from late 2025 as the brand focused on ramping up the L90.
The L80 SUV will be available in both pure vision and LiDAR versions when it launches this year, unlike the L60 which will remain vision-only.
100kWh Battery on Hold
The 100kWh long-range battery pack is on hold, Shen said Sunday, with the existing 85kWh battery combined with Nio‘s battery swap network meeting user needs.
When Onvo revealed the L60’s battery specifications in mid-2024 ahead of first deliveries, the company said future versions would offer ranges of 730km and over 1,000km depending on battery capacity.
The 730km range is achieved with the 85kWh pack, while the 1,000+ km range would require the 150kWh battery Nio started producing with its partner WeLion a few years ago.
However, the ultra long range battery received weaker than expected demand, leading Nio to cancel its production after several hundred units.
Onvo currently offers 60kWh and 85kWh battery packs, while the main Nio brand primarily uses 75kWh and 100kWh/102kWh packs.
Battery Swap and Services
Battery swap station expansion will be based on user distribution of Nio NT3 platform vehicles, Onvo, and Firefly models, Shen said.
Fifth-generation battery swap stations will begin pilot operations in the first half of the year, with large-scale deployment in the second half.
This year’s swap station expansion will focus on increasing density to cover new users across Nio‘s three brands: Nio, Onvo, and Firefly.
A free Spring Festival swap policy is currently under internal review, possibly as a service fee waiver, Shen reaffirmed Sunday.
Onvo provided free battery swaps at more than 400 highway-adjacent stations during the Chinese New Year holiday period last year.
BaaS subscription fees will remain unchanged in the short term despite rising battery costs, Shen said. The L60 and L90 offer high cost-performance, and trade-in policies are designed to help boost used car resale prices.
Voice Assistant
Onvo will not feature Nio‘s signature in-car assistant NOMI. Instead, it will continue to have its own voice assistant — the same as the other sub-brand Firefly.
Onvo‘s in-car voice assistant is named ‘Xiao Le.’
On the L90 SUV, ‘Xiao Le’ supports over 1,630 voice commands.
“It can remember 20 different occupants and their preferences, and suggest cabin settings based on both in-cabin and external conditions, bringing greater peace of mind and more enjoyment to the whole family,” Onvo said when it launched the L90 in July last year.
