Nio’s Firefly EV: ‘Smarter than Mini and more Mini than Smart’

Chinese EV maker Nio has unveiled the Firefly at Nio Day 2024. It is the first model under its new budget-oriented brand, aiming to capture young buyers with its compact size, innovative features, and affordability.

Priced from 148,800 yuan (approximately €19,750), the Firefly is set to compete with established players like BMW’s Mini, the BYD Dolphin, the Smart #1, or the Renault 5. The affordable EV segment will get crowded next year.

While Firefly is the brand’s name, its first model doesn’t carry a distinctive name. It was unwrapped as the Firefly EV and was created by Nio’s Design Vice President Kris Tomasson, formerly of BMW and Ford.

He gave the Firefly a distinctive tri-circular headlight and rear lamp design. The compact hatchback features a short hood and a wide C-pillar, which runs all over the width of the roof to mimic a protection bar. The door handles are hidden for a sleek, modern aesthetic. As for the interior, no pictures have been revealed.

For narrow streets

Though its dimensions remain compact, functionality remains a priority: the Firefly offers a generous 92-liter frunk equipped with a drainage system supplementing a 1,250-liter trunk capacity with rear seats folded. A 4.7-meter turning radius enhances its agility for narrow city streets, appealing to urban drivers in Europe and China alike.

Not without wit, the CEO of the mother company, Nio, William Li, said that the Firefly was “Smarter than Mini and more Mini than Smart.” Though full details remained under wraps, he added, “Firefly is small, smart, and high-tech—designed to spark curiosity like its namesake.”

Former BMW designer

Despite its budget-friendly price, the Firefly wants to position itself as a safe choice, earning a five-star C-NCAP rating for 2024 in its home country. Its body structure comprises 83.4% high-strength steel, providing a torsional rigidity of 35,700 Nm/degree, which Nio claims is the highest in its class.

Furthermore, the hatchback comes equipped with nine airbags and Nio’s advanced ADAS, though Nio does not provide much detail. However, autonomous parking is among the standout features.

Battery swapping

Unlike other Nio vehicles, the Firefly will not initially utilize the brand’s existing battery swap network. Instead, the company is developing smaller, modular swap stations tailored to Firefly’s battery size to be installed on a demand basis. This approach limits immediate compatibility with the 2,900 swap stations from the group.

Initially planned for a European debut, Nio shifted focus and launched the Firefly in its home market, citing logistical and tariff challenges in Europe. The Firefly will be available for preorders in China before its official launch in April 2025, with deliveries following shortly. According to Nio CEO William Li, the vehicle will make its European debut in mid-2025, targeting additional international markets thereafter.

UK first?

It is not yet clear which export route the Firefly will take. As for Nio’s other subbrand, Onvo, which will also hit European shores at the beginning of 2025, the carmaker decided to launch in the UK first, as import tariffs do not apply there. In the EU, these amount to an excess of 31% for Nio.

Firefly might follow in the slipstream of that strategy. While Nio is premium, Onvo takes on a more common image, with its Tesla Model Y rival, L60, hitting the heart of the EV market. Firefly is positioned one step lower as the affordability option and is most impacted by price hikes as there’s less leverage to absorb the extra taxes.