Nio unveiled the first EV under the new Firefly brand. The compact electric hatchback is called, like the brand itself, Firefly. Pre-orders for the Firefly have started in China for 148,800 Yuan (20,800 USD).
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The Firefly EV, like all Nio vehicles, is equipped with interchangeable batteries. However, it was not disclosed whether the pre-order price included the battery or not. CarNewsChina expects that the price will probably correspond to the version with one.
Nio’s CEO William Li said at the Nio Day conference in Guangzhou that the Firefly EV will be officially launched in April 2025.
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Firefly is a compact hatchback initially intended for European launch. However, after disappointing sales of the Nio brand on the Old Continent and additional tariffs, the company launched it in China first.
The main design feature of the EV is a trio of circular lamps with a black shaded grille. It has a short hood and a wide C-pillar that flows seamlessly into a roof. The EV’s turning circle is 4.7 meters, which Nio says is suitable for narrow European streets. It also supports parking in all scenarios.
Despite being a small EV, it has a 92 liter trunk. The maximum trunk capacity is over 1,250 liters.
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The Firefly EV has a five-star safety rating (C-NCAP 2024 standard). The body structure consists of 83.4% high-strength steel. As a result, the torsional stiffness reaches 35,700 Nm/degree, a class that Nio claims is the highest. It also offers up to nine airbags and an ADAS system. However, Li did not provide more details.
The new brand will be sold through Nio’s sales networks, unlike Onvo, which has its own channels. Firefly’s positioning is similar to what Mini is to BMW. The Firefly EV will be launched in April next year, most likely at the Shanghai Auto Show.
Firefly will compete with Mini, Smart and Volkswagen ID.3. The European launch is officially unknown, but Li emphasized during the presentation that Firefly is a global EV. Firefly executives previously hinted that the brand would be unveiled in Europe in the first quarter of 2025, followed by Latin America and Southeast Asia.
