Firefly, the entry-level EV brand under the Nio Group, has launched its first outdoor advertising campaign globally, with a large-scale billboard wrapping around a building in Belgium.
The billboard, installed on scaffolding in Antwerp, features Firefly‘s compact hatchback in blue alongside the tagline “shine bright like a … firefly.” and the brand’s motto “freedom to glow.”
The campaign was organized by local distributor Hedin Automotive and represents Firefly‘s first out-of-home advertising activation anywhere in the world.
Marius Holletzek, who was promoted this month to Head of Global Brand Strategy and Experience, shared the campaign on Thursday via LinkedIn.
Until now, the brand’s marketing campaigns in Europe had been limited to digital one run in select markets such as Portugal, Dutch, Norway — among others.
The billboard comes less than two months after the brand’s participation at the Brussels Motor Show, where Firefly made its Belgian public debut alongside the main Nio brand.
Belgium and Luxembourg
The EV maker announced its expansion into Belgium and Luxembourg in June 2025, appointing Hedin Mobility Group as its exclusive distributor for both markets.
Hedin, one of Europe’s largest mobility providers with operations in 14 countries and net sales of SEK 92.3 billion ($8.9 billion) in 2024, manages 15 car brands in its distribution portfolio, including BYD, XPeng, Ford, MG, and Hongqi.
The brand’s first appearance in Belgium came at the Link2fleet ZE Experience event near Brussels in late June 2025.
A formal press launch followed in Brussels in August, ahead of sales operations beginning on September 20 at locations in Antwerp, Brussels, and Maldegem.
Firefly‘s hatchback starts at €29,990 in Belgium.
The Nio lineup ranges from €62,530 for the ET5 sedan and ET5 Touring to €115,580 for the flagship EL8 SUV. The larger EL7 and ET7 models are not available in Belgium or any of the newer European markets.
The first Firefly was delivered to a Belgian customer in late November.
The buyer, who had placed the order on the first day sales opened in September, described themselves as “the first customer of Nio Benelux to order the super new Nio Firefly” in a LinkedIn post.
In October, the Nio Group registered 25 vehicles in Belgium, according to official data from FEBIAC, the Belgian and Luxembourg automotive association.
Battery Swap
Nio opened a battery swap station in Belgium in late 2024 — before vehicles were even on sale — marking the first time the company established swap infrastructure in a market without an active sales presence.
The company currently operates 60 stations across five European countries.
However, Firefly vehicles are not yet compatible with the existing network and will only support Nio‘s upcoming fifth-generation stations, which are expected to begin mass production in the second quarter.
Luxembourg Launch
Luxembourg followed in early 2026. Hedin has vehicles on display at its showroom, including the EL8, EL6, and Firefly.
The company registered 13 vehicles in Luxembourg in December and a total of 45 in 2025, according to FEBIAC.
Nio‘s official Luxembourg launch event took place in February.
European Sales
Despite expanding to ten European markets and introducing the more affordable Firefly sub-brand on the continent, Nio Group‘s overall European sales in 2025 totaled 1,321 vehicles across seven of its ten markets — still 300 units below the prior year.
In January 2026, the group registered just 56 vehicles across nine European markets, with Germany posting its weakest month in three years. Firefly accounted for the majority of sales in several newer markets: 14 of 17 registrations in the Netherlands and 7 of 11 in Greece were Firefly units.
Zero Firefly vehicles were sold in Norway in January, after a record 46 in December.
The brand delivered 2,807 vehicles globally in January, a 60.4% decline from December.
Between August and December, Firefly saw monthly sales steadily increase to a record of over 7,000 units in its final month of 2025. The brand aims to reach 100,000 by the end of 2026.
Global Expansion
In an internal letter to employees earlier this month, Li wrote that “Firefly serves as our pioneering brand for global market entry.”
The brand has announced plans for 17 markets globally across the Americas, Europe, and Southeast Asia, and is in talks with distributors in Brazil, Spain, and Australia.
The UK and Thailand are also planned for 2026.
Firefly began European deliveries on August 14, 2025, with the first vehicles handed over in the Netherlands and Norway.
Since then, the brand has expanded to Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Greece, and Portugal. Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, and the Czech Republic are planned for 2026.
