Nio founder, chairman, and CEO William Li revealed that the company’s upcoming third brand, codenamed Firefly, will operate with its own dedicated battery swap stations, distinct from those used by Nio and Onvo brands.
Speaking at a recent user communication event, Li confirmed for the first time publicly that Firefly will not share existing Nio or Onvo stations. Instead, it will feature smaller, container-sized stations with simplified structures, offering additional products such as coffee, according to a video reviewed by CnEVPost.
“Nio’s Firefly brand will introduce dedicated smaller stations tailored for its vehicles,” Li stated, emphasizing the brand’s independent operational strategy.
Earlier this year, Nio launched its Onvo sub-brand, also known as Ledao in China, and commenced pre-sales of its inaugural model, the L60. Priced at RMB 219,900 ($30,260) during pre-sale, the Onvo L60 aims to undercut competitors like Tesla Model Y by RMB 30,000, with deliveries slated to begin in September.
Nio’s co-founder and president Qin Lihong previously confirmed Firefly’s existence, highlighting its focus on the small and micro car market with models priced between RMB 100,000 and RMB 200,000.
“Firefly aims to embody a Mini-like approach within Nio’s portfolio,” Li remarked during a live broadcast on Douyin in March, underscoring the brand’s commitment to European safety standards and battery swap capability for its models.
Nio’s recent deployment of fourth-generation battery swap stations supports multiple vehicle brands without requiring modifications, signaling a strategic expansion in service capabilities. However, Li noted that retrofitting third-generation stations to accommodate Onvo models could incur costs ranging from RMB 200,000 to RMB 300,000 per station, as discussed during a recent earnings call.
