The Nio Group disclosed on Wednesday that it delivered 6,877 vehicles in March, a jump both sequentially and year over year.
The company set a target of delivering between 80,000 and 83,000 vehicles in the first quarter, including its main premium Nio marque and the sub-brands Onvo and Firefly.
Considering the figures reported in the previous two months, the Shanghai-based EV maker needed to register between 32,021 and 35,021 vehicles in March alone.
With the group’s total of 35,486 units in the final month of the quarter, Q1 figures stood at 83,465 units — 465 vehicles above the high end of the official guidance
The newly reported figures indicate that the Group has achieved its quarterly guidance.
Deliveries jumped by 98.3% compared to the 42,094 units delivered in the first quarter of 2025.
The figures represent between 17.1% and 18.3% of Nio‘s annual guidance of 456,000— 489,000 vehicles in 2026.
The annual target represents a 40–50% growth compared to last year, as implied by the company’s founder and CEO William Li earlier this year.
Monthly figures rebounded in March after a weak January, which was affected by cuts to tax incentives, and a sharp drop in February during the Chinese New Year period.
Although the holiday typically disrupts production and sales — making February one of the slowest months for the country’s auto industry — this year’s break was the longest on record, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Onvo Brand
Despite having added a second model to its lineup last August, Nio‘s family-oriented sub-brand started 2026 by recording its two worst monthly delivery figures since its deliveries commenced in September 2024.
In March, Onvo‘s vehicle deliveries more than doubled to 6,877 units — a 131% increase from February.
Sales also rose year on year, compared to the 4,820 L60 SUVs that had been delivered in China in March 2025.
Weak Demand
Facing declining sales, the brand has rolled out aggressive incentives to boost demand in March.
Onvo announced a new promotional campaign offering full purchase tax subsidies and seven-year financing at a 0.49% annualized rate.
Buyers who opt for Nio‘s Battery as a Service program receive full purchase tax coverage, with subsidies of up to 8,156 yuan for the L60 and up to 10,262 yuan for the L90.
Down payments started from 29,900 yuan ($4,350) for the L60 and 35,900 yuan ($5,220) for the L90.
Alongside the financial incentives, Onvo also revived a previously limited-run edition to broaden its lineup.
Onvo officially relaunched the L60 Black Knight edition — first released in December, after it debuted for the L90 SUV in November — which will now be offered as a regular option.
The edition — originally launched as a 666-unit limited run — features an exclusive black exterior, blackened wheels, and an orange-accented cabin.
The L60 Black Knight starts at 211,900 yuan ($30,790) for the full vehicle purchase, or 154,900 yuan under the BaaS option — a 5,000-yuan premium over the standard L60.
Nio recently opened its first multi-brand store, as it aims to increase demand for both Onvo and Firefly.
Additionally, the company has expanded its subscription-based vehicle offer across all three of its brands through a broadened partnership with Alipay — introducing Onvo vehicles on the platform.
Late last month, Chinese media outlet LatePost reported that Onvo has resumed development of two new models in the 200,000-yuan price segment.
Upcoming L80
The L80 — a five-seat version of the L90 SUV — is now on track to be unveiled in mid-April.
Co-founder and President Qin Lihong outlined the updated timeline, stating that “sometime around April 20th, there will be a comprehensive product and technology launch event.”
The event will coincide with the Beijing Auto Show running from April 24 to May 3.
Deliveries are expected to begin in mid-May, around the anniversary of the brand’s launch, celebrated on May 15 (World Family Day).
At an offline event, Onvo‘s brand chief Shen Fei revealed that the L80 will be available in both pure-vision and LiDAR versions — unlike the L60, which would initially remain vision-only.
LiDAR L60
However, contrary to what the brand chief previously said, Onvo might be releasing a LiDAR version for the debut L60.
The model was featured in a catalogue from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology earlier last month.
The integration of LiDAR marks a reversal of the pure-vision approach Onvo had promoted since launch.
The Nio Group had only included the sensors in its premium vehicles.
A LiDAR-equipped L90 was first confirmed in a regulatory filing — showing that the model will incorporate a sensor unit at the front center of the roof, similar to Nio vehicles.
Shen confirmed the LiDAR variant would launch in the second quarter and be priced higher than current versions, while seeking to reassure the more than 100,000 existing pure-vision owners that their vehicles would continue receiving OTA updates.
Last weekend, an uncamouflaged LiDAR-equipped version of the Onvo L90 was spotted undergoing road tests for the first time.
Global Expansion
Onvo took its first steps outside China, starting with Central Asia.
The first batch of L60 vehicles arrived in Uzbekistan late last year, making it the sub-brand’s first international market.
The expansion was facilitated through a partnership with Abu Sahiy Motors as the exclusive distributor.
More recently, Nio Group launched both its main marque and the Onvo sub-brand in Armenia, where dealer N-Motors opened its first showroom in Yerevan.
The entry was handled quietly, without a formal public announcement from Nio‘s headquarters.
The EV maker has officially launched in Costa Rica its first American market — opening a Nio Store there over the weekend.
According to William Li, it is the “first overseas location to bring all three brands under one roof.”
Nio entered Costa Rica with the premium brand’s ET5 Touring station wagon and the EL6 SUV, as well as the Onvo L60 and the Firefly EV.
The Onvo L90 will open for pre-orders on April 16, according to the company’s CEO.
Looking further ahead, CEO William Li confirmed during a visit to Europe last November that Onvo is scheduled to launch in European markets starting in 2027.
“Nio vehicles are significantly pricier than our competitors because of the tariff and also the premium positioning of Nio,” Li said. “But now we have Firefly, and in 2027 we will be having Onvo, which are more affordable even after or with the tariff.”
Leadership Changes
Earlier this year, the brand has lost several high level designers.
Raul Pires, Nio‘s Vice President of Design for the Onvo sub-brand, left the company and joined Ford Motor Co.
Pires had led design strategy for the L60, L90, and the upcoming L80, and previously spent twelve years at Bentley Motors as Head of Exterior Design.
His exit came just days after Benwadih Adil, exterior design director for Onvo, departed to join Stellantis-backed Leapmotor as director of its newly established European Advanced Design Center in Munich.
Adil had been one of Nio‘s longest-serving design team members, having first joined the company in 2016.
Kris Tomasson remains as Senior Vice President of Design for Nio Group, responsible for the main Nio brand and the Firefly sub-brand.
Last year, Fei Shen replaced Alan Ai as head of the sub-brand, after the brand failed to reach sales objectives under the latter’s leadership.
