NIO is planning new factories for its two sub-brands, with one located outside of Hefei, Anhui, according to an inside source. The F4 plant for sub-brand “Firefly” will be in Chuzhou, Anhui and the F3 plant for “ALPS” will stay in Hefei.
The F4 plant will manufacture vehicles for Firefly and some components, with main exports to Europe starting in Q3 2024. The Chuzhou factory will produce affordable small cars around 100,000 yuan. The F3 plant will continue to produce mid-to-high-end ALPS models, with prices ranging from 150,000 to 300,000 yuan.
The NIO’s F3 and F4 plant groundbreaking ceremony is set for March, according to a source. Additionally, NIO has started construction on an auto parts production base in Chuzhou on January 29, as per another source. Chuzhou is located in Eastern Anhui, a 2-hour drive from Hefei, and a 1-hour drive from both Nanjing and the Yangtze River.
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NIO offers a range of models including the ES7, ES6, EC6, ET7, ET5, and the discontinued ES8. Recently, at NIO Day 2022, two new models were launched: the EC7 coupe SUV and the ES8, with deliveries set to start in May and June 2023, respectively.
NIO’s F2 plant in NeoPark currently produces only the ET5 while all other models are manufactured at the JAC-NIO manufacturing base in Hefei. Co-founder and President Qin Lihong recently shared that NIO is preparing to launch two sub-brands – ALPS and Firefly. ALPS is set to deliver its models within 2024, while Firefly will be first introduced to European consumers. A small model for NIO is also in the works and is expected to be available in Europe in the third quarter of 2024.
Recently, the Chuzhou city government held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new energy auto parts production base project and plans to work with manufacturers to expand the local auto industry. Meanwhile, Hefei’s economic development zone signed an agreement with NIO for a new mid-to-high-end brand of vehicles to be produced at NeoPark phase II.
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The 1,860 mu project is expected to be completed and in production by 2024, competing with companies like Tesla and Volkswagen. The core team for the new brand is reportedly in place and the first products are already in development. The exact details of the new brand are not disclosed, but it is speculated to be for NIO’s ALPS project.
