Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Nio’s second sub-brand, Firefly, will launch with a single model featuring slight variations depending on the region of sale, Chinese media outlet ITHome reported on Friday, citing a Weibo post by automotive blogger ‘肉肉爸比ev.’
The Firefly brand, initially a codename before being adopted as its official name earlier this year, will be unveiled on December 21 during Nio’s annual event in Guangzhou. The model is expected to be priced between 100,000 yuan ($13,750) and 200,000 yuan ($27,490).
In Europe, the model will start below €30,000 ($31,480) according to a statement from the brand’s executive Nicolas Vincelot in May.
Nio’s founder and CEO, William Li, has often described the Firefly model as a “boutique compact car.” According to the blogger, its design draws inspiration from BMW’s Mini EV models.
The entry level version of the 4-seater fully electric Mini Cooper features a 40.7kWh battery giving it 249 miles of range. Prices start from £30,000 in the UK market, equivalent to $38,180.
In early November, Nio’s Co-Founder and President, Lihong Qin, dismissed a report by the Chinese outlet Yicai that claimed Firefly would launch an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) in 2026.
Unlike Nio’s other sub-brand, Onvo, which plans to offer a total of three models from the last quarter of next year, Firefly will focus on a single performance-oriented product.
Although Firefly will operate as a global brand, models sold in Europe, South America, Southeast Asia, and other regions may have minor differences, according to the blogger. The sub-brand will share some sales channels with Nio but also establish independent customer touchpoints.
“To reduce delivery times, Firefly will increase inventory slightly, with a “build first, then deliver” model,” the blogger said in the Weibo post.
The brand values for Firefly are defined as smart, agile, thoughtful, and trustworthy. According to the blogger, “Smart” relates to space design, “Agile” refers to exterior design, handling, and maneuverability, “Thoughtful” emphasizes safety, and “Trustworthy” highlights reliability.
The Firefly brand will arrive in the European market next year despite the tariffs on Chinese-made EVs. Nio aims to position Firefly as an affordable yet high-quality electric vehicle brand designed with European consumers in mind.
According to official filings published earlier this year, Nio’s Firefly production facility in China is expected to produce up to 120,000 units annually.
The company aims to be present in 25 markets by the end of next year. The latest markets added to the list include the United Arab Emirates, Israel, and Egypt. The expansion to the Azerbaijan market is being prepared by the Shanghai-headquartered EV maker.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
