Onvo, a sub-brand of Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio, on Wednesday began nationwide test drives for its upcoming L90 SUV across more than 400 stores and showrooms in 140 cities.
Nearly 600 units of the six- and seven-seat model have been made available for the trials ahead of its official market launch scheduled for next week.
The launch event, scheduled for July 31, will confirm pricing and introduce additional colour options for the L90 — Onvo’s second production model.
The L90 is built on Nio’s third-generation NT3.0 platform and supports the company’s 900V high-voltage architecture and battery-swap system.
In addition to the previously announced 85 kWh battery pack, a 60 kWh standard-range option will also be offered, according to leaked images circulated earlier this week.
The L90 opened for presale at 279,900 yuan ($39,000) for the full purchase version and 193,900 yuan ($27,000) under Nio’s battery rental program.
The start of test drives coincided with a sharp uptick in weekly insurance registrations, suggesting a potential rebound in demand.
Onvo registered 1,720 vehicles during the third week of July, a 50.9% increase from 1,140 the previous week, according to data shared on Weibo.
It was the brand’s strongest weekly performance since late February and ended two consecutive weeks of declines. It remains unclear whether the nearly 600 L90 units prepared for test drives were included in the latest insurance data.
Earlier this month, Morgan Stanley analyst Tim Hsiao reported that Onvo secured between 30,000 and 35,000 pre-orders for the L90 within four days of its pre-launch event held in Hefei.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin on August 1, and the brand’s weekly registration figures are expected to rise further as shipments ramp up.
The model will compete directly with the Li Auto i8, a six-seat SUV unveiled last week and scheduled for launch on July 29 — two days ahead of Onvo’s debut.
The i8 will be available in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations, with three trim levels — Pro, Max, and Ultra — and an estimated price range between 350,000 and 400,000 yuan ($48,750–$55,700), roughly 25% above that of the L90.
According to leaked specifications, the L90’s Pro and Max trims are equipped with a 60 kWh battery offering a CLTC range of 425–450 km and energy consumption of 14.5–15.5 kWh/100 km.
The 85 kWh version increases range to 575–605 km, while the Ultra trim features a 440 kW dual-motor system and air suspension, delivering 550–570 km of range.
The L90’s six-seat version offers up to 605 km of range under the CLTC cycle. It measures 5,145 mm in length, 1,998 mm in width, and up to 1,786 mm in height, with a 3,110 mm wheelbase. A five-seat variant has also been confirmed.
Last weekend, Nio issued a public statement denying allegations that Onvo was involved in orchestrating online smear campaigns against rival EV brands.
