Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Nio’s sub-brand Firefly, unveiled last month to target BMW’s MINI and the Mercedes-Benz Smart, has selected Sunwoda as the battery supplier for its compact EV model, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) latest product catalogue showed.
The Chinese firm Sunwoda joins now Nio’s battery supplier list which already includes CATL, BYD, and CALB.
The Firefly model will be equipped with lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries provided by Sunwoda, which began mass production of battery cells in 2018.
The vehicle measures 4,003 mm in length, 1,781 mm in width, and 1,557 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,615 mm. Powered by a 105 kW motor, the Firefly EV has a top speed of 150 km/h, and it uses LFP batteries.
The MIIT catalogue also revealed updates from XPeng, showcasing its G7 SUV, and Tesla, with a refreshed Model Y, further highlighting the fierce competition in China’s EV sector.
The model’s body structure incorporates 83.4% high-strength steel and aluminum alloy, with ultra-wide double front crash beams, reinforced front door crash beams, and nine airbags — claimed by Nio to be the most in its class.
Pre-orders opened immediately with a pre-sale price of 148,800 yuan ($20,400). The final price is still unknown, and the first deliveries are planned to start in China in late April. The European launch is planned for “the first half of next year,” according to Nio’s chief executive.
In a media Q&A session held twelve hours after the ‘Nio Day’, Li told reporters that Nio has already agreements with multiple European partners for the brand’s entry.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
