Local media reported that a delegation from NIO had recently visited the Audi factory in Brussels and was preparing a takeover bid. However, NIO quickly denied the rumors and said it had no plans to buy the factory. Instead, CEO William Li said the company was generally cautious about investing in tangible assets other than battery swap stations.
He added: “How can NIO buy a factory that Audi can’t buy? (The rumors) are baseless.”
The Volkswagen Group had previously decided to stop car production at its Brussels plant when production of the Audi Q8 e-tron ends, and large-scale protests have already taken place since then, with around 3,000 employees fearing for their jobs.
Meanwhile, NIO has started deliveries of the new EL8 in Europe: the SUV has been available to order in Germany for three months, with prices starting from 82,900 euros (excluding battery rental), and the first units have been delivered to customers in Germany and the Netherlands.
New sub-brand launched in China
In China, NIO’s new sub-brand, Onvo, is celebrating its market debut. The first L60 model (see photo above) was unveiled in May, but the crossover SUV is available to order now, with deliveries starting from September 28. Onvo is positioned as a family-friendly brand, and the L60 is intended to rival Tesla’s Model Y.
The rear-wheel drive single-motor model has an engine peak power of 240kW and peak torque of 305Nm, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.9 seconds, while the twin-engine all-wheel drive model has a combined peak power of 340kW and peak torque of 440Nm, allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.6 seconds.
The Onvo L60 has a 900-volt architecture. The standard battery pack has a capacity of 60 kWh and a CLTC range of 555 kilometers. The long-range battery pack has a capacity of 85 kWh and a CLTC range of 730 kilometers. Pricing for the Onvo L60 in China starts at 206,900 yuan (approx. 26,000 euros) including the battery. The Onvo L60 can also be purchased without a battery starting at 149,900 yuan (approx. 19,000 euros). Rental starts from 599 yuan (approx. 75 euros) per month, depending on the battery size.
Nio expects to deliver the first 20,000 units this year, with plans to produce 20,000 units per month in the future.
cnevpost.com (Audi factory), cnevpost.com (EL8), cnevpost.com (Onvo L60)