Source: Onvo

NIO Inc's (NYSE: NIO; HKEX: 9866) family-oriented sub-brand Onvo reached 50,000 cumulative deliveries of its L90 large electric SUV on April 3, 2026, announcing the milestone alongside a confirmed launch date for a LiDAR-equipped update scheduled for April 21.

Source: Onvo

The milestone arrives eight months after the L90 first rolled off the line. Onvo launched the model on July 31, 2025, with deliveries beginning August 1, priced from 265,800 CNY (c. $38,600) including the battery pack, or 179,800 CNY (c. $26,100) under NIO's Battery as a Service (BaaS) rental scheme with a monthly subscription fee of 899 CNY (c. $130).

The L90 is a full-size, three-row crossover SUV built on NIO's NT 3.0 platform, available in six- and seven-seat configurations. It carries an 85.1 kWh NMC battery pack on a 900-volt architecture, delivering a CLTC-rated range of up to 605 km (376 miles) in rear-wheel-drive form and 570 km (354 miles) with the dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup.

The RWD variant uses the same 340 kW (456 hp) W-pin motor found in NIO's flagship ET9 sedan, while the AWD adds a 100 kW (134 hp) front motor for a combined 440 kW (590 hp). DC fast charging takes the pack from 10% to 80% in approximately 25 minutes. Owners also have access to NIO's network of over 3,400 battery swap stations across China, allowing a full battery exchange in under three minutes.

Source: Onvo

The L90's first full month of deliveries in August 2025 reached 10,575 units, a record for any NIO Inc model at launch. The 20,000th unit was handed over on September 29, 2025, and the 30,000th delivery came just 86 days after first delivery, on October 25. Monthly volumes peaked at 11,722 units in October 2025 before falling sharply through the end of the year, hitting a record low of roughly 1,502 units in January 2026. The dip reflected a combination of seasonal headwinds, the reduction of China's purchase tax exemption for new energy vehicles effective January 1, 2026, and softening demand as early buyer enthusiasm normalized.

March 2026 marked a recovery: the L90 delivered 3,360 units, a 155.1% month-on-month increase, helping Onvo's total monthly deliveries reach 6,877 across its two current models. The L90's cumulative count stood at 49,527 as of April 2, before crossing the 50,000 threshold the following day. Total Onvo cumulative deliveries have since surpassed 140,000 units across the L60 and L90, with the L60 midsize SUV eclipsing 90,000 cumulative deliveries in March.

The April 21 launch of the 2026 L90 represents a notable strategic shift for Onvo. Neither of Onvo's existing models — the L60 or L90 — has ever included LiDAR, whereas NIO's premium brand fits the sensor as standard across its lineup. The addition responds directly to consumer demand, with a roof-mounted unit positioned at the front center, mirroring the sensor placement used on NIO brand vehicles.

Source: MIIT

The LiDAR-equipped trim will be sold alongside the existing pure-vision variant, which will continue to receive OTA updates. Onvo's head of product, Eric Yu, noted on Weibo that component cost increases — particularly for high-performance memory — have pushed the 2026 model's production cost up by approximately 10,000 CNY (c. $1,450), signaling a higher price point for the new variant. The updated model will also offer a two-tone body color option.

Existing pure-vision owners will not receive hardware upgrades, Onvo brand chief Shen Fei confirmed earlier this year. The brand also announced a major OTA upgrade to its pure-vision assisted driving system for already-delivered vehicles, though no specific release date has been set.

Onvo also confirmed the impending launch of the L80, a two-row, five-seat variant of the L90 sharing the same body and platform. A full product and technology event is planned for around April 20, coinciding with the Beijing Auto Show (April 24–May 3). Pricing and first deliveries of the L80 are expected in mid-May, aligned with the Onvo brand's second-anniversary events on May 15. The L60 starts at 206,900 CNY (c. $30,100) including the battery; the L80 is expected to slot between the L60 and L90.

Source: Onvo

Onvo's April product cadence fits into a broader NIO group acceleration. NIO Inc reported 35,486 vehicles delivered in March 2026, up 136% year-on-year, pushing Q1 deliveries to 83,465 — exceeding the company's own guidance range of 80,000 to 83,000 units. Cumulative NIO group deliveries crossed 1.08 million units as of March 31. The main NIO brand's third-generation ES8 also hit 90,000 deliveries, while the compact Firefly brand reached 50,000 in approximately 11 months. NIO's flagship ES9 SUV is set for a technology event on April 9, with deliveries starting June 1.

Whether the LiDAR upgrade is enough to reignite sustained L90 momentum in a segment where Li Auto, Huawei-backed Aito, and BYD (HKG: 1211) are all contesting the same family-SUV yuan remains the key question heading into the second quarter.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.88 CNY as of April 3, 2026