First Chinese Full-Size SUV With Battery Swap and Massive Frunk
Understanding NIO Inc. and Its Brands
NIO Inc. is a prominent Chinese electric vehicle (EV) company that was founded in 2017 and is based in Shanghai. The company has established itself as a leader in the EV market with its innovative technology and unique services. It operates under three distinct brands: NIO, Onvo, and Firefly.
NIO is the flagship brand, targeting mid-high end and high-end consumers. It was launched in 2016 and offers models priced between $42K to $113K. Onvo, the mid-market brand, was introduced in 2024 and includes two models priced between $26K to $39K. Firefly, the budget brand, was launched in 2025 and features one model priced between $16.7K to $17.5K.
In June 2025, NIO Inc. delivered 24,925 vehicles in China, with 14,593 for NIO, 6,400 for Onvo, and 3,932 for Firefly. These figures highlight the growing popularity of the company’s various brands. In terms of rankings among the 107 car brands in China, NIO ranked 33rd, Onvo 49th, and Firefly 60th in May 2025. The company aims for Onvo to reach a monthly sales volume of around 20,000 units eventually.
NIO Inc.’s Battery Swapping Technology
One of the key differentiators for NIO Inc. is its battery-swapping technology. This system allows drivers to swap their depleted batteries for fully charged ones in just 3–5 minutes, all while the car drives itself into the station, swaps the battery, and exits autonomously. Each station is equipped with multiple cameras and radar systems to guide the vehicle, ensuring a seamless process. The connection between the car and the station is maintained via a 5G network.
This technology has gained a cult following in China, with some owners completing entire journeys from Shanghai to Tibet using only swap stations. NIO Inc. currently operates 3,400 swapping stations in China, with 2,048 available for Onvo drivers. Onvo provides a real-time map on its website showing the number of swaps, making it easy for users to plan their trips.
While battery swapping is convenient, it is not free. Users pay for each swap and an additional fee for the energy used in the returned battery.
Introducing Onvo: A Brand for Young Families
Onvo is NIO’s mid-market electric vehicle brand, designed specifically for young families. The name “Onvo” is derived from “On Voyage,” and its Chinese name, 乐道 (Lèdào), translates to “Path to Happiness.” This reflects the brand's vision of creating happiness on every path traveled with family.
Onvo launched its first vehicle, the L60 SUV-coupe, in September 2024. The brand is now introducing the Onvo L90, a large electric SUV that combines spaciousness, style, and a focus on practicality.
The Onvo L90: Spacious, Stylish, and Frunk-Focused
The Onvo L90 features a clean, functional design that avoids unnecessary frills. The front has a sleek, grille-less look with slim upper LED lights and rectangular lower headlamps. The side profile is simple and elegant, with a single shoulder line, flush door handles, and blacked-out pillars that create a “floating roof” effect.
Chrome accents run along the top edge of the side windows, with additional details on the bumpers and lower doors. The darkened taillights have an unusual kink at the corner, extending into the rear fenders. The L90 comes with 255/55 R20 tires at the front and 275/55 R20 at the rear, paired with bling-style 15-spoke alloy aeroblade wheels.
Interior: A Luxury Lounge
The interior of the Onvo L90 is designed as a luxury lounge, featuring six Napa-leather seats and plenty of aluminum and wood trim. A massive 17.2-inch 3K touchscreen is centered in the cabin, complemented by a 35-inch AR-HUD. The center tunnel includes two air-cooled 50W wireless phone chargers, cooled and heated cup holders, and storage in the armrest and beneath the tunnel. Onvo even includes a tissue box to showcase the size of the storage space.
The second row offers two ultra-wide captain’s chairs, each with tray tables, armrests, leg rests, and side storage compartments. Seat controls are placed on the door panel just below the window, enhancing the premium feel. There are no traditional door handles; instead, doors open with the push of a button.
Digital Voice Assistant and Entertainment System
The digital voice assistant and chatbot for the Onvo L90 is called Xiaole (小乐). It can recognize and remember family members, up to 20 faces, and create profiles for each person. Xiaole can also order items online, edit text or spoken language files, and answer complex questions. On the screen, Xiaole appears as a golden circle with a wave in the middle, moving when it speaks.
Passengers in the second row enjoy a 17.3-inch ceiling-mounted entertainment screen, controlled from a panel between the front seats. The system includes karaoke, movies, music, social media, and access to Onvo’s app store. The computing power for the cabin’s infotainment comes from a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P chip. Between the front seats is an 8-inch rear screen, and below that is a 0.31 cubic foot refrigerator.
Flexible Interior Design
The Onvo L90’s interior is highly flexible. The front seats can recline fully backward to create a bed-like space, and the front passenger seat can fold forward completely, giving the right-side second-row passenger limo-style legroom. The second-row seats recline 38°, perfect for naps or camping, though only if the third row is unoccupied.
The Frunk: A Major Feature
Onvo has focused heavily on the frunk, which is the front trunk of the vehicle. According to Onvo’s marketing, about 90% of their L90 promotions highlight the frunk. The frunk is 240 liters (8.47 cubic feet) in size, large enough to fit an unfolded baby stroller. It opens down to the bumper and is 23.6 inches wide, making loading and unloading easy. The frunk opens automatically with a knock on the hood and has a soft-close feature.
Standard frunk equipment includes pillows and cushions to turn it into a cozy sofa, shallow cup holders, luggage hooks, a luggage net, and a drain hole. However, there is no power outlet in or near the frunk, so users may need to route electricity from the cabin or use the car’s V2L charging port.
Platform, Power, and Battery Tech
The Onvo L90 is based on NIO’s NT 3.0 platform with a 900V architecture. It offers two powertrains:
- Single-motor, RWD: 456 hp/295 ft-lbs, 0-100 in 5.9 seconds, 376 miles range.
- Dual-motor, AWD: 590 hp/395 ft-lbs, 0-100 in 4.9 seconds, 354 miles range.
NIO Inc. develops and produces the electric motors in-house, with the motor series for Onvo called W-PIN. The motor is compact and light, weighing 174 pounds with a size of 20.4/18.3/13.2 inches.
ADAS and Color Options
The Onvo L90 features basic L2 ADAS with 26 sensors, including 11 cameras, 14 ultrasonic radars, and a 4D millimeter-wave radar. The computing power comes from an Nvidia Drive Orin X chip with 254 TOPS.
Color names are significant in China, and Onvo offers poetic names like Cloud Gold, Rock Ridge Brown, Snow Peak White, Chenhui Silver, and Jingyue black. For example, Cloud Gold is inspired by the magnificent scene of the rising sun over Penglai Pavilion.
Pricing and Availability
The base price of the Onvo L90 is $39K for the RWD version, with a BaaS option available for $27K. The AWD version price will be announced later this month, with deliveries starting in August.