Both the third-generation Nio ES8 and Tesla‘s Model Y L launched in China in late August and quickly sold out their 2025 production allocations.
The three-row variant of Tesla‘s best-selling model was launched amid strong demand in China for six-seat SUVs, driven by the country’s increasingly family-oriented car market.
In July, both Shanghai EV maker Nio and Beijing-based Li Auto unveiled their own six-seat models, the Onvo L90 and the Li i8, respectively.
On September 20, Nio launched another three-row model under its main premium brand, the ES8 SUV, which has quickly become the best selling model of the group.
The company is focusing on the production ramp-up of both models until the end of the year.
While interest in Li Auto’s model was slower than expected, Onvo’s second model initially boosted Nio Group’s sales during its first three months on the market, before demand began to taper off.
In August, its first full month of deliveries, Onvo delivered 10,575 L90 vehicles, followed by 10,997 in September and 11,722 in October.
However, the figures halved in November to just 5,970 units while Li Auto delivered 6,719 units of its three row SUV model i8 — up from the 5,749 recorded in October.
Delivery Waiting Time
In the first week of L90 deliveries, the estimated waiting time for new orders, initially 5–7 weeks, increased to 8–10 weeks.
As reported by EV in mid October, the delivery waiting time for the L90 model was at “7 to 9 weeks,” equivalent to about two months.
However, a fe wdays later, Onvo‘s website stopped showing estimated delivery waiting times with the company not disclosing a re
“For delivery time, please contact your Onvo advisor,” the brand now states on its configurator page.
In the first days of November, Nio‘s founder and CEO William Li admitted that the sub-brand would be the most impacted by the end of subsidies in China.
“Our Onvo L60 and L90 are majorly affected by this cancellation as they are in a relatively low price segment and are more sensitive to such changes,” Li stated then.
Nio’s founder wrote on X on Thursday that “the golden era of large, three-row battery-electric SUVs is here” as the company handed over the 30,000th unit of the ES8 model 89 days after the first delivery.
“Since September, BEVs have been leading the large three-row SUV market in China, surpassing all other powertrain types including extended-range, plug-in hybrid, and ICE,” Li wrote. “The message is clear: the golden era of large, three-row battery-electric SUVs is here.”
Tesla Model Y L
Deliveries for the Model Y L began in September, and within just 10 days, the model was sold out for both September and October.
A month later, delivery timelines were pushed back first to December and later into next year due to strong demand.
Orders placed as of December 19 have a delivery waiting time of up to two months, as Tesla now expects to deliver new orders of the six-seat vehicle by February 2026.
All other variants of the five-seat Model Y have also sold out as of November 19. Orders of the entry-level Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) are estimated to be delivered next month.
The exact number of Model Y L units delivered in the first two months remains unclear, as China’s Passenger Car Association (CPCA) only reported total Model Y sales without breaking them down by variant.
However, according to CPCA data from November, the three-row variant accounted for 12,844 (nearly a third) of the 47,132 Model Ys sold last month.
The sales figures for the six-seat model alone doubled those of Onvo‘s three-row L90.
Comparison
Tesla‘s Model Y is priced from 263,500 yuan ($37,420), while the Model Y L begins at 339,000 yuan (48,140).
The Onvo L90 is priced at 299,800 yuan ($42,580) and available in both six-seat and seven-seat versions.
The price includes the battery; it lowers to 213,800 yuan if the customer opts for Nio‘s Battery as a Service (BaaS) system.
Price-wise, this places Tesla‘s vehicle between the more affordable Onvo L90 and the flagship SUV Nio ES8, which is priced from 308,800 yuan ($43,855) with BaaS and 406,800 yuan ($57,660) with the battery included.
However, the model offers a higher range: 735 km in the CLTC cycle (456 miles), compared to the 570 km offered by Onvo and the 635 km on Nio‘s large SUV.
According to the brands, the Model Y L’s energy consumption is 12.8 kWh per 100 km (or 62 miles), while the L90 has a consumption of 14.3 kWh per 100 km with the smaller battery pack.
Incentives to Boost Demand
Besides launching several special editions for both its models to boost demand ahead of year-end, Onvo set a limited-time promotion for in-stock vehicle purchases throughout December.
It allows customers to enjoy up to three years of zero-interest financing with no down payment.
The offer also includes five years of free Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) and three years of free battery swapping.
Up until December 31, they can also still benefit from the purchase tax exemption on EV purchases, which in this case allows them to save up to 9,509 yuan ($1,350).
Customers who order Tesla‘s Model Y can apply for a 5-year, interest-free financial plan.
