Chinese electric vehicle maker Nio has officially launched the first model under its third brand, Firefly, with deliveries set to begin on April 29.
The compact battery electric vehicle (BEV), aimed at urban drivers, is priced from RMB 119,800 ($16,410) including the battery, undercutting key competitors such as the Mini Cooper and the Smart #1 in the Chinese market.
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The launch price is 19.5% lower than the RMB 148,800 pre-sale price announced at Nio Day 2024, reflecting the company’s efforts to gain a foothold in the increasingly competitive compact EV segment.
Firefly is positioned as a boutique urban vehicle and is available in two variants—one priced at RMB 119,800 and the other at RMB 125,800, the latter offering a more premium interior configuration.
Firefly is powered by a rear-mounted electric motor delivering 105 kW of peak power and 200 Nm of torque. It is equipped with a 42.1 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery, supporting a range of up to 420 kilometers under the CLTC standard.
While the vehicle’s BaaS (battery-as-a-service) rental option was not available at launch, it is expected to roll out on August 1, allowing consumers to purchase the vehicle without a battery and subscribe to a battery rental plan.
Measuring 4,003 mm in length and with a turning radius of just 4.7 meters, Firefly is designed for tight urban environments. It features a 92-liter front trunk and comes equipped with Lumo, an AI-powered voice assistant. Firefly’s platform also supports integration with Nio’s next-generation battery swap stations, with initial demo sites planned in high-user cities after launch.
See also: Spy Photo Reveals Interior of Nio’s Firefly Sub-Brand Model Ahead of April Launch
The model is already available for test drives at over 300 Nio stores across China and will share a display space with Nio-branded models at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show. The launch follows lower-than-expected performance of Nio’s other sub-brand, Onvo, and marks a strategic push to strengthen the company’s position in the entry-level EV market.
