$0.14 Upgrade/Downgrade—Is ONVO L90’s 60 kWh Battery Finally Here?

ONVO L90 launches 60 kWh battery with RMB 1 ($0.14) upgrade/downgrade policy, offering flexibility via NIO’s vast charging and swap network.

After much anticipation, the ONVO L90 can finally be equipped with a 60 kWh battery pack.

In brief, ONVO L90’s 60 kWh battery purchase plan allows existing or future BaaS (Battery-as-a-Service) users to downgrade within three months after vehicle delivery by paying only a service fee of RMB 1 ($0.14).

If owners wish to upgrade to an 85 kWh battery pack after delivery, they can choose either a flexible upgrade or a permanent upgrade as needed. If they intend to use the 85 kWh battery long-term, they can permanently upgrade within one year by paying only RMB 1 ($0.14) in service fees.

It should be noted that this policy applies only to BaaS users; customers who purchased their batteries outright are not currently eligible for these benefits.

In terms of costs, the monthly rental fee for a 60 kWh battery is RMB 599 ($83.86), while the 85 kWh battery costs RMB 899 ($125.86) per month.

However, for users who have chosen the 60 kWh battery as their permanent battery but wish to temporarily upgrade to the 85 kWh version for long-distance travel, they must still pay the RMB 599 ($83.86) monthly rental fee and an additional cost based on the flexible upgrade fee—meaning that the monthly rental = RMB 599 ($83.86) + flexible upgrade fee.

According to ONVO’s policy, the flexible upgrade fee is RMB 45 ($6.30) per day for a daily upgrade, RMB 800 ($112) per month for a monthly upgrade, and RMB 8,800 ($1,232) per year for an annual upgrade.

In a long post on the ONVO Community App, Shen Fei did the math.

In Beijing, choosing the 60 kWh battery could save a user approximately RMB 2,700 ($378) per year, even if they take four long trips totaling 20 days annually. However, it is important to note that the 60 kWh battery currently cannot be purchased outright.

By giving users the right to choose, ONVO’s decision has received substantial support. On the other hand, questions have been raised regarding the actual range of the 60 kWh battery and whether ONVO has sufficient battery supply.

Is the 60 kWh battery for the ONVO L90 a timely solution for owners, or an unnecessary move?

Is 60 kWh Enough?

Skeptics of the ONVO L90 mainly question whether a large SUV, 5.2 meters in length with a wheelbase over 3.1 meters, can achieve sufficient range with only a 60 kWh battery.

This relates to differences in driving scenarios between northern and southern regions.

According to data from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) in May, the ONVO L90 offers two battery capacities—60.6 kWh and 85.1 kWh—with CLTC ranges of 410 km, 425 km, 550 km, and 570 km.

Post-launch information suggests that the 550 km and 570 km figures correspond to the standard-range ONVO L90 with the 85 kWh battery, running on 19-inch wheels, in both rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations.

By deduction, the 410 km and 425 km figures represent the L90’s range when equipped with the 60 kWh battery.

Official ONVO data shows that the L90 consumes as little as 12.1 kWh/100 km for the RWD version and 12.7 kWh/100 km for the AWD version. So how far can the 60 kWh version go?

Many owners, based on their daily driving experiences, have given figures starting with “3,” with variations depending on individual driving styles.

This range is certainly inadequate for highway driving in northern winters, but users opting for the 60 kWh battery generally have specific usage patterns and charging conditions—primarily city commuting and mostly with home charging. Shen Fei also pointed out on the ONVO App that the 60 kWh battery is not recommended for northern users.

A 2024 commuting monitoring report jointly issued by the China Academy of Urban Planning and Design (CAUPD), Baidu Maps, and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD)’s Urban Transportation Infrastructure Laboratory shows that in China’s seven megacities and fifteen very large cities, over 75% of commuters travel less than 15 km one-way.

Even with the 60 kWh battery, the ONVO L90 can meet more than a week’s worth of commuting needs for most people.

Ultimately, the choice remains with the user—whether to upgrade or downgrade is entirely up to them. This flexibility is part of NIO’s “chargeable, swappable, upgradable” system.

The confidence to offer such flexibility comes from NIO’s extensive charging and swapping network.

Energy Network Support

In his post, Shen Fei mentioned that “over 96% of NIO owners and 97.7% of ONVO L60 owners choose the standard-range (60/75 kWh) battery packs (preferring flexible purchase), and over 70% opt for the BaaS rental model.”

As of August 11, NIO had 3,446 battery swap stations and nearly 27,000 charging piles, while ONVO had 2,094 battery swap stations and 2,928 supercharging stations.

Anxiety over range and charging largely stems from uncertainty about the availability and timing of charging facilities. NIO offers a rich, continuously expanding network of charging and swap stations, and its Power Map remains one of the most mature in the industry.

Having been on the market for less than a year, ONVO still has much work to do in building its charging and swapping network.

For example, ONVO owners have expressed concerns about the number of available 85 kWh batteries and the lack of swap stations in smaller cities. Following today’s release of the 60 kWh battery purchase plan, rumors emerged that ONVO has insufficient 85 kWh batteries, so customers wanting earlier delivery might have to start with the 60 kWh battery.

Encouragingly, NIO has not slowed its construction of charging and swap stations, and its efficiency and improvements this year have been particularly evident.

Over the past week, Shen Fei has hosted three live-stream sessions on Douyin.

These three live streams were filled with requests from ONVO users and prospective customers. During them, Shen Fei noted many potential software optimizations for the ONVO L90, improvements to delivery ceremonies, and service issues at specific stores. He even encouraged users to give low ratings to stores to express dissatisfaction with service.

The demand for the ONVO L90’s 60 kWh battery was mentioned almost as frequently as service-related issues. At the time, Shen Fei cautiously refrained from making a firm promise, stating that it would depend on whether the demand was genuine and widespread, and would require internal discussions before possible approval.

Now, just eleven days after the ONVO L90’s launch, user demand for the 60 kWh battery has proven strong enough that ONVO finalized the purchase plan in under a week.

Shen Fei stated that the 60 kWh battery version of the ONVO L90 was approved internally despite the risk that critics might seize upon the reduced range, choosing instead to “listen” and respond to customer needs.

Since the ONVO L90’s debut, pre-sale, and launch, ONVO has shown determination to turn things around. Today’s announcement from @孙少军09 that NIO’s orders exceeded 10,000 last week seems to confirm a potential turning point for the company.

With the call for a counterattack sounded once again, can ONVO succeed this time?