Firefly EV, Nio ET9 and more
The Nio Day 2024 starts at Guangzhou’s landmark Haixinsha at 19:00 Chinese time. The 10-year Chinese automaker plans to unveil the first Firefly model and launch the Nio ET9 flagship during the ceremony.
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15:00 (GMT+8). Chinese netizens shared the first photos of the Firefly‘s first model covered with film. It will be presented officially within a few hours. What we can tell from the photos now is the Firefly EV stays in line with the recently discontinued Honda E. It has cute exterior styling. More on the Firefly long-anticipated EV as we get it!
16:00 (GMT+8). Chinese blogger Xiao He (@满电的小贺) shared a photo of a letter to visitors of the Nio Day 2024. It has some interesting takes. The brand’s officials underlined that Nio Day 2024 is dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the company. The theme of this year’s event is “Together & Further.”
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According to the letter, Nio will showcase its innovative achievements to users. The Nio ET9 will be officially launched, becoming the electric executive flagship. The new brand Firefly will make its global debut, positioned as a “smart electric high-end car.”
16:10 (GMT+8). Chinese blogger Speedlife shared a video of three Nio’s Firefly EVs driving on stage. It looks like a dress rehearsal before the launch ceremony.
17:00 (GMT+8). Nio Day 2024 isn’t an event dedicated only to automotive enthusiasts. It also includes a User Charity Market with over 170 stalls co-created by Nio users and communities across the country. The User Charity Market has been officially opened in Guangzhou Haixinsha Asian Games Park and has become a point of attraction for many Guangzhou citizens.
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17:45 (GMT+8). The Nio ET9 covered with the film was spotted in Haixinsha Asian Games Park. The car is getting ready for the official launch.
19:00 (GMT+8). The Nio Day 2024 event starts, and around 22,000 people are watching it offline at Haixinsha Park.
19:20 (GMT+8). Nio co-founder and CEO William Li takes the stage to present the latest Nio products. He underlined that there are currently 179 Nio Houses around the world.
19:30 (GMT+8). Official interior images of the Nio ET9 were revealed. The car has a large suspended screen, four seats, and folding tables for makeup.
19:35 (GMT+8). William Li underlined that Nio operates 2,903 swap stations globally. 90,877 swaps happened yesterday. It is one swap every 1.05 seconds.
19:45 (GMT+8). The Nio ET9 was officially unveiled on the stage of Haixinsha Park.
19:50 (GMT+8). William Li said that the Nio ET9 follows a Landjet Design. It has a length of 5323 mm, a width of 2,017, and a height of 1,621 mm. From the side, it has a 1,730 mm LED taillight strip. It has LiDAR sensors in the front fenders. The ET9 adopts 23-inch wheels.
The Nio ET9 features a 105-liter frunk. The car’s interior features a large panoramic roof and a 5K OLED screen for the front passenger. The rear passengers have two 14.5-inch screens with a Dolby Vision system.
20:00 (GMT+8). Seats of the Nio ET9 adopt a 14-layer structure with 3 firmness levels. They support a 16-point massage function, “incorporating oriental health philosophy.” The seats and the steering wheel of the Nio ET9 are heated.
The Nio ET9 adopts the pioneering 8.2.4.8 acoustic system with 35 (!) speakers and a power of 2,800 W. It comprises 8 surround sound speakers, 2 subwoofers, 4 roof-mounted speakers, and 8 headrest speakers. The car also offers an active noise cancelation system.
The Nio’s flagship model has a 10-liter fridge that has a working temperature range from minus 2 to plus 55 degrees Celsius.
20:20 (GMT+8). The Nio ET9 adopts the Cedar vehicle operation system. It is a digital architecture that aims to provide a better driving experience and safety. The ET9’s system shows the blind spot of the car while opening doors. The brand’s flagship also has a digital interior rear-view mirror. This vehicle also offers a full-range augmented reality head-up display with real-time road detection. The digital architecture also boosted the car’s CLTC range by 18%.
20:30 (GMT+8). The ET9 is designed for advanced assisted driving. It boasts all-round sensing ability. The car’s Aquila AD system features 31 sensors with a maximum detection range of 400,000 square meters (about 60 soccer fields). William Li claimed that the ET9’s AD system is 20 times safer than the human driver.
The Nio ET9 adopts pixel-level headlights for areas 500 meters away and as wide as 6 lanes. In a 100-meter area, its headlights are capable of lighting control as precise as 25 centimeters.
20:45 (GMT+8). Chinese bloggers are experiencing the Nio ET9 while William Li is still holding the launch ceremony.
20:50 (GMT+8). The Nio ET9 adopts three electric motors with a combined peak power of 520 kW (697 hp) and 700 Nm of torque. It accelerates to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds. Meanwhile, its energy consumption rate is as low as 16.2 kWh/100km. The car’s range with a 100-kWh battery is 650 km (CLTC).
The car also features active suspension, a steer-by-wire system, and rear-wheel steering.
In an official video shared by Nio, Herbert Diess test-drove the Nio ET9, completing the Champagne glass challenge. He said that the car drives “really smooth.”
21:00 (GMT+8). William Li announced the starting price for the Nio ET9 is 788,000 yuan (108,000 USD). Its limited series is available for purchase for 818,000 yuan (112,000 USD). The car has 6 years or 150,000 km warranty. The battery pack warranty is 10 years.
The price of the Nio ET9 without the battery (with a BaaS subscription) is seemingly lower at 660,000 yuan (90,500 USD).
21:20 (GMT+8). William Li presents the Firefly brand. Its official name starts with a lowercase letter “f”, but we will stick to a regular variant to avoid confusion.
21:25 (GMT+8). Three Firefly vehicles are on stage.
William Li described Firefly as a small electric car. He said that he had driven the tool car from Shanghai to Suzhou (110 km), and loved it. The main feature of the Firefly’s exterior is trio lights. This small EV has a class-leading turning radius of 4.7 meters, suitable for narrow European streets. It also supports all-scenario parking.
One of the main features of this small BEV is a frunk for 92 liters. And the maximum trunk capacity is over 1,250 liters.
21:40 (GMT+8). The Firefly EV boasts a five-star safety (C-NCAP 2024 standard). Its body structure has 83.4% of high-strength steel. As a result, its torsional rigidity reaches 35,700 Nm/degree (a class highest). It also offers up to nine airbags, ensuring passengers’ safety. Finally, the car boasts the ADAS system.
The Firefly became available for pre-order in China with a starting price of 148,800 yuan (20,400 USD).
22:00 (GMT+8). It’s a wrap! Thank you for following our live broadcast.
