NIO has officially started production of its first Onvo-branded electric vehicle (EV), the L60 SUV, at its F2 plant in Hefei, China. This milestone celebrates a new step in NIO’s strategy to compete in the mid-range electric crossover SUV market.

The first ONVO L60 rolled off the production line with ONVO’s president, Ai Tiecheng, personally handing over the EV to Xia Qinghua, head of ONVO’s user operations and service operations. The inaugural production model, numbered 0000001, symbolizes NIO’s goal of potentially selling one million units in the future.

Priced competitively at 219,900 yuan (around $30,730) including the battery, this pricing strategy aligns with NIO’s aim to offer EVs that are 10% cheaper than comparable Tesla models. While full technical specifications are yet to be released, NIO has revealed that the L60 will offer two battery options of 60 and 90 kWh, based on a 900-volt high-voltage platform. 

Moreover, the company claims that the L60 has “the world’s lowest drag coefficient for a production SUV at 0.229,” contributing to an exceptional energy consumption of 12.1 kWh per 100 km. Also, NIO claims a range of over 1,000 km according to the Chinese test cycle for the L60.

For the interior, the L60, dubbed the “Urban Oasis AI Smart Cockpit,” features a 17.2-inch main screen and an additional 8-inch screen for rear passengers. The EV also comes equipped with NIO’s proprietary ONVO Sound system, arrivingwith 18 audio units with a total output of over 1,000 watts and support for Dolby sound.

Furthermore, ONVO plans to leverage NIO’s existing service infrastructure, with over 350 service centers expected to be capable of maintaining ONVO EVs in 200 Chinese cities by the end of 2024. The company also intends to open dedicated Onvo service centers based on user demand.

As NIO’s twelfth model overall, the ONVO L60 represents a crucial expansion into the mass-market segment for the company. With its competitive pricing, advanced features, and the backing of NIO’s established infrastructure, the L60 is set to compete with Tesla’s Model Y in the Chinese EV market. 

Read More: NIO’s ONVO Brand Reveals L60 Model To Compete With Tesla’s Model Y

The official launch event for the ONVO L60 is scheduled for September 19 in Hefei, where final pricing details including options for NIO’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) program, will be unveiled. Deliveries are projected to start around one week after the launch event, around September 26.

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