Nio’s newly launched brand, Firefly, made its European debut at Norway’s Autopia Auto Show last weekend. Test drives in Norway are scheduled to begin “this summer”, with first deliveries expected later in the year. Prices will start at NOK 279,900 ($26,980).
Togehter with the Netherlands, Norway was announced last week as the entry market in Europe for the sub-brand and its compact fully electric model. Debuting there marks a smiliar move from the parent brand Nio as it also selected Norway as its first ever international market when it expanded there in September 2021.
Orders will open in the third quarter of the year with test drives available during the summer and first deliveries in the fall.
The model will be available across Nio’s showrooms including Nio House Oslo, Nio House Kristiansand, Nio Space Bergen, Nio Space Trondheim and Nio Space Stavanger.
The compact EV, set to rival BMW’s MINI and Mercedes-Benz Smart, will be showcased in the Nio Houses and not in dedicated stores.
Last year, Norway chose not to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, setting it apart from the European Union, which has introduced provisional tariffs of up to 45.3% on all EVs imported from China.
The move allowed Nio’s Firefly brand to price its model significantly lower than in the Dutch market, with prices starting from NOK 279,900 ($26,980). In the Netherlands, prices start at €29,900 — equivalent to $34,040.
The Group’s founder and CEO William Li announced last week at the Shanghai Auto Show that the brand will expand to 16 countries across 5 continents this year.
Earlier this Tuesday, the brand delivered the first units across China. The company aims the new Firefly brand to account for 10% of the Group’s total sales “in the long run,” the management told reporters on Tuesday.
The model will have different versions for the Chinese and European markets including handling, suspension stiffness, and steering feel — aiming to better respond to local customer preferences/ needs.
