Firefly, the budget electric vehicle (EV) sub-brand of Chinese automaker Nio, will begin customer deliveries in Europe at the end of July, starting in the Netherlands and Norway, the company said on Wednesday.
The rollout is part of Firefly’s broader European expansion strategy, with the first markets chosen for their ability to support direct-to-consumer sales through Nio-owned showrooms, also known as Nio Houses.
“We are able to move quickly in the Netherlands and Norway because of our direct retail network, which gives us greater control and agility,” said Daniel Ge, Firefly brand chief.
In the Netherlands, customer test drives began this week following initial media evaluations. The base price of the Firefly model is set at €29,900 ($35,000). Dutch registration data showed six test vehicles were registered in June, with a single unit sold under the core Nio brand in the same period.
Norwegian customer deliveries are scheduled for autumn, supported by the country’s EV-friendly policies, including the absence of tariffs on Chinese imports, which allows for more competitive pricing than in the European Union.
Beyond these two launch markets, Firefly plans to expand gradually into other European countries later in the third quarter or into the fourth, using national distributor models.
Nio confirmed that Firefly will be introduced alongside its main brand in seven European markets — Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, and Romania — and an additional four countries — Portugal, Greece, Cyprus, and Bulgaria — by 2026.
The company has partnered with Hedin Mobility Group in Belgium and Luxembourg, while AutoWallis will oversee distribution in Austria and Hungary starting in 2025, with expansion into other Central and Eastern European countries the following year. In Portugal, JAP Group will begin sales later in 2024. Motodynamics Group will represent Nio in Greece from 2025, and in Cyprus and Bulgaria by 2026.