EV maker Nio launched on Wednesday its Firefly sub-brand in the Netherlands and Norway, marking the brand’s arrival in the European continent. The Group’s founder and CEO William Li announced on Wednesday at the Shanghai Auto Show that the brand will expand to 16 countries across 5 continents throughout this year.
Orders are now open for the Dutch market with prices starting at €29,900 — equivalent to $33,970. Although the date for the first deliveries in the Netherlands is not yet known, Nio said test drives will begin “this Summer.”
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. In the Dutch market, customers can check Firefly’s EV within a few months at the Nio Houses in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and at the NIO Hub in Breukelen.
In Norway, which became Nio’s first market outside China in late 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.
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 ($26,570).
In contrast, Nio has faced a 21% tariff on top of the existing 10% EU import duty in the Netherlands and other European markets since October, raising the total import cost to 31%.
“At launch, the Select model is offered, with heated seats and steering wheel, 18″ wheels, fabric/PU seats, and acomplete digital and safety package,” the brand said in a statement adding that the Comfort variant will be available “shortly after.”
The higher end trim will include “ventilated massage seats, electric tailgate, panoramic roof, wireless charging, and microfiber interior.”
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.
Deliveries in China of the Firefly EV will begin on April 29 but only the version with battery included — priced from 119,800 yuan ($16,400).
The new Firefly will be available in two variants — the Freedom Edition and the Glow Edition — with starting prices of 119,800 yuan ($16,400) and 125,800 yuan ($17,200), respectively.
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.
Pricing for Nio’s battery as a service (BaaS) program, which allows customers to rent the battery and access the battery swap stations, will be known in early August. Until then, Firefly is offering a 3,000 yuan ($410) charging voucher.
Firefly vehicles will be shown at the existing Nio showrooms in China, a departure from the approach the company initially took with its second brand, Onvo. When the Onvo L60 debuted last year, the vehicle was showcased in dedicated standalone stores to distinguish itself from the premium Nio brand.
