The Nio’s Onvo L60 electric SUV aims to rival the world’s bestselling SUV Tesla Model Y (see specs). But is it better on merit? I test-drove the Onvo L60 for the first time and made a verdict about this promising EV.
To begin with, the Onvo L60 is an actual Tesla Model Y rival as it has the same body style, is slightly bigger, and has more space in the back. Speaking about rough numbers, the Onvo L60 is 78 mm longer, 9 mm wider, and 8 mm lower than its American rival. Moreover, the Onvo L60 is on par with the Model Y regarding energy efficiency.
Onvo L60 fact box:
- L/W/H: 4828/1930/1616 mm, wheelbase 2950 mm
- 60 kWh/85 kWh LFP swappable battery from BYD
- 555 km/730 km CLTC range
- Rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive options
- RWD: 240 kW motor (322 hp)
- AWD: 340 kW motor (456 hp)
- Consumption: 12.1 kWh/100km (CLTC)
- Assisted Driving Chips: NVIDIA DRIVE Orin
Onvo L60 ergonomics
The Onvo L60 is very similar to the Tesla Model Y in terms of ergonomics. However, the Chinese EV has better materials and offers a heads-up display. The biggest feature of the HUD is the integration of the navigation information. As a result, a driver doesn’t need to take his eyes off the road. But I admit that I prefer a conventional instrument display.
Another feature of the Onvo L60 is a rectangular-like steering wheel. In my opinion, it is still quite round-ish. So, it doesn’t bother the driver when he is doing U-turns as much as yoke steering wheels. Another benefit of the wheel here is its adjustment. It can stick out really far. So, I reckon that about anyone can find a suitable steering wheel position. And the good steering wheel position is 70% of ergonomics.
What isn’t good about the Onvo L60 is its mirrors. They are slightly odd-shaped and small. I assume Onvo made them smaller to lower drag. However, you can see everything you need to see with them. The visibility in the rearview mirror is tight because of the coupe-like body shape. So, it would be better if the Onvo L60 had a digital rearview mirror.
Onvo L60 interior
Moving on to interior styling, I can describe it in two words: “premium economy”. Normal materials here are fitted well with the right amount of enlightenment. The door cards of the Onvo L60 use leather and microfiber. The Onvo L60 has a major advantage over the Tesla Model Y in terms of equipment. The front seats of the Onvo L60 are heated and ventilated as standard. The front passenger seat offers an electrically powered lower leg support as standard.
The Onvo L60 has a huge rear cabin. I had adjusted the front seat in my driving position (my height is 5’11” or approximately 180 cm) and still had enough legroom and headroom behind myself. And even if I extend the front passenger seat all the way backward, I can still sit behind comfortably even if the front passenger is fully stretched out. So, the second row of the L60 is more comfortable than the Model Y.
The Onvo L60 hasn’t got a frunk. However, it almost matches the Tesla Model Y in boot capacity. The underfloor storage is also on par with the American SUV. It is big enough to fit an international carry-on-size suitcase. We will remind you its maximum allowable dimensions are 56/36/23 cm.
Energy efficiency
At the beginning of the review, I mentioned that the Onvo L60 is similar to the Tesla Model Y regarding energy efficiency. I pushed the car hard during the test drive, overtaking most cars on the road. I was driving with a passenger inside the cabin, with the AC set to 22 degrees Celsius and an outside temperature of 34 degrees Celsius. The energy consumption of the Nio’s L60 was just 14.0 kWh per 100 km. It is 140 Wh per km.
It is on the Model Y level of efficiency. The stated energy consumption of the Tesla Model Y Performance is 14.4 kWh per 100 km. We need to remind you that this is under the China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC), which is a low-speed biased test cycle, unlike the more high-speed biased American EPA cycle. Tesla Model Y, being a US brand, is mainly optimized for the American EPA.
The Onvo L60’s result is on par with the Model Y because it has a slightly smaller frontal area, a slightly better drag coefficient (0.299 Cd against 0.230 Cd), and a centralized thermal management system with a heat pump.
Other advantages of the Onvo L60. The first one is slightly narrower tires (245 mm versus 255 mm). And the second advantage is the 900V high-voltage architecture. The more voltage for the same amount of output allows you to cut a current by half and hence half the losses. However, the air conditioning system is a bit odd. The fan of the car is always going hard without quieting down even after 30 minutes of working.
Onvo L60 dynamics & battery swap
Speaking about driving experience, the Onvo L60 is slightly more relaxed than the Model Y. The steering is slightly slower. But it doesn’t have a dead zone in the center, which is good for handling. That no matter how small the wheel adjustment is, the car has a response. The Onvo L60 acts like the Model Y in self-driving mode as the steering becomes very locked in. So, the car is confident in where it is going. Of course, the steering isn’t on the level of the hydraulic steering rack.
Reffering to chassis performance, NVH, and noise performance, the L60 stays close to the updated Tesla Model 3. It is quieter and takes bumps easier. But this car is not as sharp as the Model Y.
The main feature of the Onvo L60 is a swappable battery. During the test drive, I arrived at the 4-gen Power Swap Station (PSS). It is a lot faster than the Gen-2 and the Gen-3 PSS. In the video, the 4-gen PSS finished the battery swap in 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
Final verdict on Onvo L60
In conclusion, the Onvo L60 delivered on its promise and is as efficient as the Model Y, if not a tiny bit more. However, I’m not sure if the L60 will surpass the Tesla SUV in terms of sales volume.
Carmakers like Zeekr and Xiaomi have proven that producing a better product than the Model 3 (Zeekr 007 and Xiaomi SU7) doesn’t mean you beat Model 3 in sales figures. And it is mainly about Elon Musk’s brand halo.
In the end, Tesla has been the industry leader and benchmark for many years. But now there is Onvo L60. And if this can’t dethrone Tesla Model Y’s domination in China, I don’t know what will.
The Onvo L60 will enter the Chinese market on September 19, and its mass production has already started.
Haoran Sean Zhou founded “Telescope望远镜” after his stint at NIO as a product and international PR. He is also a guest commentator of Shanghai Sports TV’s F1 broadcast. You can also follow him on X.
See the Onvo L60 review on YouTube:
