Written by Cláudio Afonso and Akimoto Yukiko
EV maker Nio started on Wednesday teasing its second sub-brand, Firefly. Seven months after unveiling the mass market family-oriented brand Onvo, the Shanghai-based company will launch the entry-level sub-brand — and its fully electric model — next weekend, on December 21.
The brand unveiled its logo, a Y shape with rounded corners, and launched its official social media accounts in China, including Weibo, WeChat, and Xiaohongshu. The first model will be “a boutique compact car” with the first deliveries scheduled for the first half of 2025.
In addition to targeting the Chinese market, Firefly will expand into the European market. The model is expected to be priced between 100,000 yuan ($13,750) and 200,000 yuan ($27,490). In Europe, it will be priced 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.
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.
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, according to a report from the media outlet ITHome.
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 and Akimoto Yukiko
