Shanghai-based Nio Group has said on Tuesday that it expects its production capacity of its Firefly brand to peak at 6,000 units per month in the final quarter of the year.
During the earnings call held after the company reported its second quarter results, founder and CEO William Li stated that Firefly‘s production capacity is expected to “ramp up to 6,000 units a month at its peak,” as supply capacity is steadying.
Asked about a possible second model under the Firefly brand in 2026, Li swiftly denied the idea, saying that it is not planned. The core Nio brand will launch two new SUVs next year, the new flagship ES9 and the new iteration of the five-seat SUV ES7.
The chief executive also said that the combined production capacity of all three Nio Group brands — Nio, Onvo and Firefly — will “be as high as 56,000 units a month to be apple to support demand.”
The Nio Group reached a new monthly sales record in August, with 31,305 vehicles registered across all its markets.
The numbers were mainly reached through the sales increase of both its sub-brands, while the main Nio brand experienced a drop.
Firefly sales nearly doubled month over month in August, from 2,366 to 4,346 units — the highest monthly figures since it launched last April.
The numbers were also above Deutsche Bank’s estimates of 4,000 units.
Dealer feedback cited by the bank suggested strong underlying demand, with new order flow in August estimated to surge 120% month on month to 57,000 units.
Orders for the Firefly brand in August stood at 2,000 units, with the analyst not detailing the reasons for the figure.
Last week, Nio received government approval to sell its Firefly sub-brand in Australia, marking a step toward the company’s entry into the Asia-Pacific market.
The move came shortly after Nio’s co-founder and president Lihong Qin said the Shanghai-based automaker was preparing to expand to Australia and New Zealand “in the near future.”
It followed months of speculation fueled by trademark filings and a prototype Firefly hatchback spotted in Victoria in mid-June, about 24 kilometers from central Melbourne.
According to the Chinese outlet Lanjinger, the company also plans to expand to Hong Kong in the fourth quarter, and its debut in Singapore scheduled for the first quarter of next year via the distributor Wearnes Automotive.
UK is likely to follow as the brand enters several right-hand drive markets in Asia and expands its presence in Europe.
Firefly, which began deliveries in China in April, delivered its first vehicles in the Old Continent last month.
The brand’s first units reached customers in the Netherlands and Norway, with additional launches planned in Belgium, Luxembourg, Greece, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania.
