Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
As Onvo, a newly launched EV brand under Nio Group, begins delivering its first vehicles to customers in China, the company has published several Q&A editions through its official app, sharing details of its operations and answering questions from customers.
In a new edition shared on the Onvo App, the brand’s Head of User and Service Operations Xia Qinghua, said customers buying the Onvo L60 SUV with the smaller (60kWh) battery will be able to upgrade it temporarily or even permanently.
Additionally, the executive said the team is working on releasing the scheduling charging feature through an over the air (OTA) update in December.
Answering about the upgrade option of Onvo batteries from a 60kWh battery to an 85kWh, the executive said “Onvo’s battery upgrade options include daily, monthly, yearly, and even permanent upgrades”.
“Whether the battery is bought outright or leased, upgrades are flexible and only require users to pay the price difference. Specific policies will be announced when the long-range versions are officially delivered,” he added.
Nio, Onvo’s parent company, introduced flexible battery upgrade options in December 2021, allowing owners to opt for monthly, annual, or permanent upgrades.
In a previous Q&A, Xia Qinghua revealed that deliveries of the long-range version will start in December. Deliveries of the 60kWh equipped vehicles started on September 28.
When asked if the steering wheel will get an over the air (OTA) update to add a heavier mode, Qinghua said the company has received the feedback from customers adding that the “heavier mode option will be added through an OTA update in the future”.
Focusing on the battery as a service (BaaS) option, where customers rent the battery instead of buying it when acquiring the vehicle, Onvo’s Head of User and Service Operations said customers “don’t need to purchase separate battery insurance” as Nio’s battery asset company provides insurance under for possible damage under the BaaS plan.
In case of damage, Qinghua said Nio’s battery asset company “will handle the insurance claim through Onvo’s after-sales service, and users will only need to provide their vehicle registration”.
“If a new or repaired battery is required, the company will first provide a healthy battery to ensure continuous use,” he added.
In response to a question about the fate of the battery under the BaaS plan when a vehicle is scrapped, the company addressed concerns about any potential impact.
“No impact. Under the BaaS plan, when the vehicle is scrapped, users only need to terminate the BaaS lease and return the battery to the asset company,” Qinghua stated.
“The car frame can be scrapped independently without needing to buy the battery. Onvo’s app and service system will provide clear guidance for easy and convenient vehicle and battery disposal processes,” he added.
Last week, Onvo announced a new pricing model for each battery swap following similar measures taken by the parent brand in early September.
Starting from mid-October, the cost of a battery swap will be calculated based on the amount of electricity swapped.
Onvo delivered 832 units in three production days it had in September. For the upcoming months, it expects to produce 5,000 in October, 10,000 by December, 16,000 in January of 2025 and two months later.
The standard range variant, which is equipped with a 60 kWh battery, is priced at 206,900 yuan, while the long-range (85 kWh) variants start at 235,900 yuan with deliveries starting in December.
Below is the English translation of the transcript from the rest of the Q&A session with Xia Qinghua, covering topics such as charging, software, connectivity, and various vehicle issues.
Will the Onvo app support HarmonyOS?
The R&D team is currently working on compatibility development. If the testing goes smoothly, it will be released as soon as possible.
I’ve encountered some issues while using my car. Who should I contact?
To improve the efficiency of issue identification and resolution, users can directly report problems by waking up the in-car assistant and saying, “Xiao Le, I want to provide feedback.”
The system will anonymize the issue and error codes before sending them to the processing platform, allowing the product team to better gather feedback for further resolution. Users can also submit feedback via the “My” page in the Onvo app.
When will the scheduled charging feature be available?
The scheduled charging feature for Onvo’s in-car system will be available with the OTA update in December. Onvo home chargers in the car marketplace already come with the scheduled charging feature.
When will the false alarms for horn and abnormal vibration issues in Guard Mode be resolved?
Guard Mode uses multiple sensors to detect risks like proximity, bumps, or collisions near the vehicle, consuming less than one kilowatt-hour over 24 hours. The upcoming OTA will optimize the false alarm issue in certain scenarios and continue improving algorithms in future updates. For now, users can choose the “Voice Warning” option in Guard Mode settings to resolve the horn issue.
Can the low-speed motor humming sound be turned off permanently via OTA?
You can set up “Quick Scene” to turn off the low-speed warning sound if the “Driver’s seatbelt is fastened” and “Car doors are closed.”
However, since the low-speed sound is a national industry standard for electric vehicles, even if it is turned off, it will automatically reappear the next time the car starts. This feature cannot be permanently disabled for pedestrian safety.
Is there an interface for additional computing power upgrades in the L60?
The current car chip is non-removable, but the L60’s cabin is equipped with the 8295P high-performance chip, which will remain competitive for an extended period.
For users seeking extra computing power for more in-cabin scenarios, details about the Nio Box for both existing and new users will be announced soon.
Will car data usage be charged after the first year?
There are three types of data: basic (OTA, navigation), smart driving, and entertainment. The first two are included as free benefits with the car. Entertainment data is free for the first year, and users can purchase data packages afterward at 9.9 yuan per month or 79 yuan per year.
Does the car have 128GB or 256GB of storage?
The Onvo L60 is equipped with a leading 256GB of physical storage.
However, some of the space is reserved for the SkyOS operating system, system updates, and application reserves, which may only display 128GB of usable space in the system settings. Future OTA updates will aim to make this clearer for users.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
