Firefly to enter European market in first half of 2025 trough dealers, Nio CEO says

Nio will launch Firefly electric hatchback in Europe in the first half of next year, Nio’s CEO William Li confirmed on Sunday. Unlike the Onvo or Nio brands, Firefly will rely on a third-party dealer network.

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Firefly is the brand name and name of the first model. It is a compact electric hatchback aimed at young buyers. Firefly is Nio’s smallest and cheapest car, which comes with some challenges: The new electric hatchback won’t be able to use Nio’s battery swap network of 2,900 stations because its battery pack is smaller than that of Nio and Onvo.

Nio also doesn’t build swap stations for Firefly in advance; they will install it “per user’s needs.” The container swap stations are smaller, cheaper, and easier to install, according to Firefly CEO Alan Ai.

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Nio didn’t share many details about the Firefly EV during the launch conference, which was mainly focused on the Nio ET9 launch. The battery capacity, car dimensions, powertrain, and whether it is RWD or FWD weren’t disclosed.

We know the car was designed in Munich by the European team led by ex-BMW veteran Kris Tomasson. From the pictures and presentation, it has hidden door handles, nine airbags, 92 liter frunk, and 1,250 liter trunk with rear seats down. The turning radius is 4.7 meters, and the car will be equipped with Nio’s autonomous driving technology.

Nio says it is a global EV that will launch also in Latin America and Southeast Asia.

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The tri-circular headlights in the front and rear, arranged like iPhone cameras, sparked much discussion in China. When asked about comments at media events, Li explained, “In terms of design orientation, you must consider global users’ preferences. Sometimes, one side may like it more, and the other may like it less. I think this is completely understandable.”

FThe irefly brand was launched on December 21,. The first model will be launched in China in April 2025, and deliveries will follow shortly. Based on Li’s H1 announcement, theEuropean launch will follow in May or June, The pre-sale price in China is 148,800 yuan (20,400 USD).

In Europe, Firefly will compete with Volkswagen ID.3, BMW’s Mini, and Smart #1 from the Mercedes-Benz & Geely joint venture. It will rival BYD Dolphin, Zeekr X, and the recently launched Lynk & Co Z20 in China.