Nio Expands Onvo SUV Portfolio With Updated L60 and New Autonomous Driving Chip

Nio is accelerating its aggressive product expansion strategy under the Onvo sub-brand as the company prepares multiple SUV launches in rapid succession. The automaker confirmed that the facelifted Onvo L60 will enter the market in June following a pre-sales event scheduled for late May. The announcement was made by Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li during a live-streamed event held in Dunhuang, Gansu province, highlighting the company’s continued focus on advanced electric vehicle technologies and flexible driver assistance solutions in China.

The updated Onvo L60 will introduce a new LiDAR-equipped variant, expanding the model lineup beyond pure vision-based driver assistance systems. Nio stated that the move aligns with the Onvo brand’s strategy of offering customers multiple intelligent driving configurations depending on user preference and pricing considerations. The L60, originally introduced in September 2024, previously received a major update on its first anniversary in 2025, and the latest facelift further strengthens the SUV’s positioning in the highly competitive midsize electric SUV segment.

A major highlight of the upgraded L60 is the integration of Nio’s self-developed Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip. The company is increasingly deploying the chip across its newer vehicle lineup to improve intelligent driving performance and system efficiency. Nio confirmed that the recently launched 2026 Onvo L90 already utilizes the Shenji NX9031 platform, while the upcoming Onvo L80 SUV will also offer versions powered by the new chip technology when it launches later this week.

The Onvo L90 represents the brand’s three-row SUV offering and originally entered the market in 2025 before receiving a refreshed 2026 model update earlier this year. Meanwhile, the Onvo L80 is positioned as a five-seat version sharing the same dimensions and platform architecture as the L90. Through these launches, Onvo is attempting to broaden its coverage across different customer segments while maintaining technology consistency throughout its SUV portfolio.

The facelifted L60 had already appeared in the regulatory filing catalog issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology earlier this year, confirming the addition of the LiDAR sensor configuration. Industry observers view the rapid expansion of Onvo’s product lineup as part of Nio’s broader effort to navigate increasing competition and fluctuating demand conditions within the electric vehicle industry while sustaining delivery momentum.

Vehicle delivery figures released by the company showed that the Nio sub-brand delivered 5,352 vehicles during April, representing a year-over-year increase of 21.64 percent despite a sequential decline compared with March. The automaker continues to invest heavily in new product introductions and infrastructure development to strengthen its market position amid intensifying competition among electric vehicle manufacturers in China.

Alongside its product announcements, Nio also highlighted the performance achievements of its upcoming flagship ES9 SUV. The vehicle recently completed a 10,000-kilometer continuous driving challenge in 94 hours, 19 minutes, and 11 seconds, establishing a new record for pure electric vehicles and surpassing the previous benchmark set by the Onvo L60. The challenge concluded in Dunhuang shortly before William Li’s live-streamed event.

The company attributed the successful long-distance challenge to its extensive battery swap ecosystem, which continues to expand across key transportation corridors. Nio additionally confirmed that the 1,739-kilometer battery swap route along the Hexi Corridor section of the Silk Road is now fully connected, further enhancing long-distance EV travel capability across western China.

The flagship Nio ES9 SUV is scheduled to begin customer test drives on May 11 ahead of its official market launch on May 27. Deliveries of the model are expected to commence immediately following the launch event as the company intensifies efforts to strengthen its premium electric SUV portfolio and accelerate adoption of its intelligent mobility technologies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What upgrades are included in the new Onvo L60?
The updated Onvo L60 introduces optional LiDAR-equipped variants and integrates Nio’s in-house Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip for improved intelligent driving capabilities. The facelift also supports the company’s strategy of offering both LiDAR-based and vision-based driver assistance systems across its product lineup. These updates aim to improve flexibility for customers while enhancing vehicle technology performance, efficiency, and driving assistance functionality in the competitive electric SUV segment in China.

What is the significance of the Shenji NX9031 chip?
The Shenji NX9031 is Nio’s internally developed autonomous driving chip designed to power advanced intelligent driving systems across its vehicle portfolio. The chip is already used in the 2026 Onvo L90 and will also be available in the upcoming Onvo L80 SUV. By developing its own chip technology, Nio aims to improve software and hardware integration, reduce dependency on external suppliers, and enhance autonomous driving performance, computing efficiency, and long-term scalability for future electric vehicle platforms.

How did the Nio ES9 perform during its endurance challenge?
The Nio ES9 completed a 10,000-kilometer continuous driving challenge in 94 hours, 19 minutes, and 11 seconds, establishing a new record for pure electric vehicles. The achievement surpassed the previous benchmark held by the Onvo L60 and demonstrated the effectiveness of Nio’s growing battery swap infrastructure network. The challenge also showcased the company’s ability to support long-distance electric vehicle travel through rapid battery replacement technology and connected battery swap routes across western China.