Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Daniel Jin Ge, head of Nio’s newly launched sub-brand Firefly, revealed that pre-orders for its compact EV have exceeded the company’s expectations, with the majority placed on the night of its launch on December 21.
“By the time I got back to the hotel at around 12:30 a.m., the criticism was overwhelming, primarily about the design of the lights,” Jin admitted in a new interview with Chinese media, referring to user feedback.
He added that the final 20 minutes of the launch event—where Firefly’s brand was revealed—were unrehearsed, calling it a “spontaneous ‘one more thing’ moment,” in homage to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ phrase.
Although the company has opted not to disclose exact pre-order numbers, Jin stated that the volume of pre-orders placed have “exceeded expectations.”
Pre-orders opened immediately after the event on December 21 with a pre-sale price of 148,800 yuan ($20,340). The final price is still unknown, and the first deliveries are planned to start in China in late April.
“Regarding orders, while we don’t disclose exact figures, the number of registered users on the app, the [WeChat] mini-program, and orders placed has exceeded expectations. The highest number of orders came on the launch night, accounting for 50% of the total so far,” Daniel stated.
The European launch is planned for “the first half” of this year according to Nio‘s chief executive.
Firefly’s chief said manufacturing and service will follow the standards from the parent brand Nio “sharing systems ensuring quality.”
“Loyalty points earned in the Firefly app can also be used in Nio and Onvo apps, maintaining consistency across platforms,” he stated.
Commenting on user feedback, Daniel said the “user interaction is critical” adding that he “often checks posts in the Firefly app to like and reply to users’ messages personally.”
Addressing the brand’s approach to infrastructure, Jin said Firefly would adopt a demand-driven strategy for battery swap stations, building them based on demand to ensure efficient scaling.
“When it comes to charging [and battery swap] stations, Firefly will build them based on user density rather than ahead of demand, ensuring financial sustainability. This model allows for efficient scaling,” he said.
Nio’s second brand, Onvo, was unveiled in May last year, with deliveries starting four months later. The brand focuses on the family segment and will launch two new SUVs later this year.
“The compact car isn’t just a financial experiment but also a strategic move to globalize the brand,” Daniel stated. “Nio, Onvo, and Firefly serve different missions: Nio for luxury, Onvo for volume, and Firefly for compact global outreach.”
Nio’s senior vice president of Design Kris Tomasson, said recently that the headlights “set Firefly apart from competitors like the Honda E, MINI, and Fiat 500.”
The executive added later that these “iconic lights give Firefly a distinct identity.”
The Firefly model will feature lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries provided by Sunwoda, which began mass production of battery cells in 2018.
The Nio sub-brand has selected Sunwoda as the battery supplier for its compact EV model.
The Chinese firm Sunwoda joins now Nio’s battery supplier list which already includes CATL, BYD, and CALB.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
