Firefly, the third brand under Shanghai-based EV maker Nio Group, registered 510 units of its debut model in China during the week of June 2 to 8.
Insurance-registration data posted on Chinese social media on Tuesday showed the brand’s weekly sales fell 49 % from the final week of May, marking a second straight decline.
Most automakers saw similar week-over-week declines, as the reporting period covered the usually slower start of the month.
Group sales for Nio, Onvo, and Firefly slipped to 4,340 vehicles last week, down 19.6% from the last week of May. Firefly began deliveries of its debut model on April 29.
The brand, which targets BMW’s Mini and Smart brands, said on Tuesday two product managers began this week a 5,500 kilometers drive across seven European countries as the brand prepares to arrive in several markets of the old continent over the next few months.
Test drives in the Netherlands and Norway are planned to start in the third quarter while over a dozen of other markets will join the list later in the year.
The expansion strategy is focused on markets with what Firefly head Daniel Ge described as “relatively friendly policies, such as low tariffs, or favourable subsidies and traffic rights.”
Unveiled during Nio’s annual event last December, the compact hatchback—also called Firefly—marks the group’s entry into the affordable urban EV segment, targeting rivals such as BMW’s Mini and Smart.
The model is showcased across Nio’s showrooms as the company continues to streamline operations and reduce fixed expenses. Last week, an internal email showed that the carmaker is eliminating the separate business units for each of the two sub-brands integrating them under the Nio umbrella.
The Firefly model is currently offered in China with the battery included, starting at 119,800 yuan ($16,700).
A version supporting Nio’s battery-as-a-service (BaaS) subscription—allowing battery leasing and access to the company’s upcoming fifth-generation swap stations—is set to launch in August. In the meantime, buyers are being offered a 3,000 yuan ($415) charging credit.
