NIO's new firefly brand launches in China and will enter 16 international markets this year - first stops in Europe, price and specs unveiled

April 23, 2025, Amsterdam, the Netherlands - NIO's new brand firefly officially launched in China with a starting price of RMB 119,800 and first user deliveries planned for end of April, and will gradually enter overseas markets covering 16 countries. firefly officially enters Europe this spring, with Norway and the Netherlands as its first markets and starting prices of EUR 29,900 and NOK 279,900 respectively. Launch in Europe is set for summer 2025 before expanding to further markets globally.

lifestyle mobility brand

firefly is a lifestyle mobility brand providing smart, high-end compact electric cars for urban users. Its inspiration comes from fireflies: small, agile and buzzing with energy, reflected in the brand's logo: a flying and glowing firefly illustrating the brand's motto "freedom to glow".

As a NIO sub-brand, firelfy is to NIO a symbol of innovation and sophistication in a smaller package, building on NIO’s decade-long expertise in the premium electric vehicle market. It was created from day one as a global brand and product, bringing together expertise from NIO's Design Center in Munich, European Smart Driving Technology Center and Innovation Center in Berlin, Vehicle Engineering Center in Oxford, and Global Engineering Center in Shanghai.

firefly sits in the heart of the B-segment. It is 4,003 mm long, 1,885 mm wide and 1,557 mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,615 mm and offers unprecedented interior space and flexibility in its class thanks to an all-new battery EV-dedicated platform. With its smart roominess concept "compact on the outside, spacious and flexible on the inside", firefly brings roominess and practicality usually found in bigger cars into a small, energy-efficient hatchback alongside with a premium digital experience, to appeal to users from both the traditional hatchback and SUV segments.

designed in Munich

firefly was designed in NIO's global design headquarter, in Munich, Germany, under the supervision of Kris Tomasson, Senior Vice President of Design at NIO. As the first product of the brand it fully embodies its values: "Vivid, thoughtful and solid". Vivid means it triggers positive emotions and creates a lasting impression. firefly is also thoughtful — with logic and purpose, and solid, conveying trust and confidence. firefly ambitions to redefine what a small car can be, by incorporating features from higher segments to elevate small cars' perception and combining function and aesthetics together for a timeless appeal.

The trio lights is made of three equally-sized halos - a tribute to how NIO group blends product, service, and community into one whole. The circles were extended to ovals, a pure and balanced geometrical form. The signature oval shape is a recurring theme that can be found throughout the firefly such as the front and rear black fascia inserts, flush door handles, camera integration on fenders or the charging port. The front and rear black inserts also carry a 45 degree angled pattern, giving it directional attitude even when standing still.

The long wheelbase and short overhangs give firefly a solid stance to convey trust and confidence. Its silhouette is efficient with an aerodynamic roofline to reduce drag and a dynamic hoop around the C-pillar giving it forward momentum. The lower body enhances its sporty appeal with 18-inch wheels framed by black arches for more stance. Recycled plastics from postconsumer waste are used in the lower areas and rocker panels: they create a visual highlight and are more sustainable.

The trio light signature is echoed in the rear and come together with the signature oval panel giving firefly a design coherence from end to end.

firefly will be available with 6 exterior colours globally*: lime, lavender, marble, graphite, sand, and lava stone - all coming in 2-tone with a glossy black contrast roof.

compact outside, roomy inside

In the cabin, firefly uses high-end tactile elements and offers a premium digital experience, alongside with iconic design cues and cutting-edge technology.

The minimalistic design language of the interior bridges precision details, visible for instance in the hidden airvents, and solid touchpoints. The signature oval shape is also repeated throughout the interior to reinforce its high-end design language, starting with the steering wheel shaping, accelerator pedal, rear-view mirror or even the reading lamps. The 45 degree angled pattern is also a recurring theme that can be found on the door panels, brake and accelerator pedals or on the center console.

firefly is a 5-seater offering a leading space experience. In the front, it offers ample space with a bench seat concept combined with a flat floor for users to slide easily from one side to another to ease vehicle ingress and egress even in narrow parking areas. Rear passengers also enjoy generous space with unexpected legroom and heardoom.

firefly's "Smart Roominess" concept pushes boundaries further with no compromise on cabin storage and load capacity. The cabin features 27 interior storage spaces including a glove box, a center console drawer, door storage for all passengers as well as two practical underseat storage spaces: one beneath the front passenger seat* and a second one beneath the rear bench seat which can accommodate up to 29 liters.

firefly offers a 92l frunk (front-trunk) - one of the biggest available in the market today. It includes built-in hooks, can be partitioned* to separate items and is washable thanks to a drain plug.

firefly's tailgate can be powered*, and opens in a clamshell style for a wide and low access to the 404l trunk which can extend up to 1,253l with the 40/60 rear seats folded. Combining both its frunk plus its trunk, firefly has a total cargo capacity of 496l which can be extended up to 1,345l with the rear seats folded.

high end sustainable cabin

firefly comes standard with a synthetic PU (vegan leather) / fabric seat upholstery. Synthetic PU is used on the seats side and bolsters, steering wheel, upper instrument panel, central armrest, and extended to the front and rear door panels. It is an eco-friendly and energy-efficient material produced without solvents with a specific texture treatment for a soft, skin-friendly surface. It is combined with sustainable fabric which is used for the main seating areas, the insert on the instrument panel, and the door's armrests. It is made from recycled polyester & PET bottles and engineered with nano-interface hydrophobic technology, which forms a protective air interface film delivering waterproof, oil-proof, and stain-proof properties, for durability and easy maintenance.

An upgraded seating package is also available, using microfibre for the seats bolsters and door panels as well as for the insert on the instrument panel, with fabric upgraded to synthetic PU for the main seating areas and the doors' armrests.

Heated front seats and steering wheel are included in standard equipment. Pending markets and versions*, firefly can also be equipped with ventilated seats with power memory adjustment including lumbar support and an integrated massage function usually found in upper segments, as well as a fragrance diffuser, a wireless phone charger and a 1 m² panoramic sunroof.

firefly will be available with 4 interior themes globally*: obsidian, travertine, plum and pine.

premium digital experience

firefly delivers a premium digital experience with a 13.2" retina central display with ultra-thin frame and a 6'' digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, and a premium sound experience with a 14-speaker 7.1 sound system enhanced by Dolby Atmos - all coming as standard equipment.

firefly features an ultra-fast highly integrated Center Computing Cluster, leveraging NIO's in-house digital architecture and software development expertise. The intelligent operating system which enables all smart functions is called 'aster': when awaken, aster's basic functions are ready within only two seconds and firefly is fully operational to drive in less than seven seconds.

The 6" digital instrument cluster displays essential information on driving and navigation and the 13.2" retina central display provides a wide range of functionalities such as navigation, entertainment with immersive content, and easy to use advanced vehicle settings.

The central display is structured in 3 elements: key information is displayed in the upper left part for better driver visibility whilst the control area is in the lower left part for easy reach, and the right part is dedicated to content display. It supports multi-touch "blind control" gestures: sliding two fingers without looking at the screen to control the most frequently used functions. For example, swiping left and right horizontally on the central screen adjusts the ventilation fan speed, whilst swiping up and down adjusts the temperature on the left side and the sound volume on the right side.

When night falls, firefly transforms thanks to a 256-colour ambient lighting which interacts with the infotainment. For example when swiping two fingers on the left side of the touch screen to adjust cabin temperature, the interior ambient light will turn red when temperature increases, and blue when it drops. It also synchronises with the central display to create a glowing startup animation when entering the car. It can be further personalised with three breathing modes and eight preset themes.

firefly comes with a dedicated vehicle app. It allows users to control and interact with the vehicle directly from their smartphone, with functionalities usually found in higher segments such as the smartphone key function included as standard equipment.

firefly also includes an on-board smart AI-Assistant called 'lumo' - hinting at the brand's glowing positioning. lumo is a full-scenario voice control, meaning it is possible to control with one single voice command more than 86% of the vehicle's functions such as a phone call, changing the ambient lighting, the music, or seat functions.

agile and fun to drive

firefly is built on an all-new battery-EV dedicated platform delivering a leading experience in living space, loading space, electric architecture and driving dynamics. It combines a MacPherson strut suspension at the front for robustness and space efficiency with a sophisticated 5-link suspension at the rear to ensure stability, ride comfort and precise wheel control. Its rear wheel drive setup with a near 50/50 weight distribution delivers agility and enjoyable driving dynamics paired with strong maneuverability, thanks to a turning circle of 9.4m (4.7m turning radius).

firefly is powered by a 6-in-1 permanent magnet motor developed by NIO and located on the rear axle, delivering 105 kW (143ps) peak power with 200 Nm peak torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.1 seconds with a top speed of 150 km/h, and can stop from 100 to 0 km/h in less than 36 meters. It comes with 18-inch wheels available in two designs* with 215/50 R18 tyres, and three selectable Drive Modes - Eco, Comfort, and Sport to personalise the driving experience.

firefly's lightweight LFP battery pack is made of an all-aluminum structure frame with a thickened water-cooled plate for high thermal insulation performance and strong safety with a structural anti-collision beam and a water-electricity isolation design separating the circuits. With its 42.1 kWh total capacity, firefly achieves a driving range of 330 km(average WLTP combined*** ) - up to 470 km in city cycle. Its average energy consumption is 14.5 kWh / 100 km (WLTP combined***) and can go down to 9.5 kWh/100 km in city cycle.

firefly is battery-swappable by design as a future-proof vehicle. It will focus initially on AC and DC charging with a 7 kW AC single-phase or 11 kW AC three-phase* on-board charger, and a DC 100 kW peak power for fast charging from 10 to 80% in 29 minutes****. It also includes a V2L (vehicle-to-load) function to power external electronic devices. It will be able to swap in NIO's upcoming fifth generation battery swap stations, which are expected to roll out from 2026*.

high technology

firefly was developed on NIO's technical foundation as regards autonomous driving capabilities with a powerful 128 TOPS (tera-operations-per-second) processor which powers over 20* high-performance sensors and cameras, contributing to enhance safety and comfort. firefly raises small cars technology to new standards with a cutting-edge suite of over 30* active safety systems and assisted driving** features, of which many are new in its class.

For example, firefly can locate available parking slots and park into them thanks to its advanced parking assist, or detect pedestrians to mitigate collision risks during manual parking thanks to its reverse collision warning. firefly also supports highway trips with adaptive cruise control, pilot assist and active lane change, whilst the blind spot camera and the digital rear view mirror camera functions can display what cameras see on the central screen. All these features come as standard equipment.

firefly will offer both SOTA (Software Over the Air) and FOTA (Firmware Over the Air) updates. Whilst SOTA updates are comparable to phone app updates, FOTA updates can update all the connected features in the system architecture, such assisted driving, navigation or battery management functions. For example wireless Apple Carplay will be made available as part of the very first updates scheduled for the european market, demonstrating NIO's digital OTA capabilities to tailor equipment regionally.

5-star safety

firefly raises small cars safety to new standards. It has been designed and engineered to meet both the latest C-NCAP and Euro-NCAP five-star ratings safety requirements, with a strong focus on structural design, material strength and passenger protection.

With a torsional stiffness of 35,700Nm/deg usually found in higher segments, firefly's high-strength steel-aluminum accounts for 83.4% of the body structure and is built to withstand extreme forces for maximum occupant protection.

firefly also includes a front center airbag to prevent front-row passengers from colliding with each other in an impact, and ultra-long side safety curtains to enhance rear passenger protection, detecting rollovers and maintaining pressure longer to prevent secondary injuries.

global launch

firefly made its global debut at NIO Day in December 2024 and officially launched in China on April 19th with a starting price of 119,800 RMB. First user deliveries in China are planned for end of April.

Learn more at: https://www.firefly.com.cn

firefly simultaneously announced gradually entering overseas markets covering 16 countries at Shangai AutoShow, In Europe, first stops will be the Netherlands and Norway. In the Netherlands, firefly will be available in NIO House Amsterdam, NIO House Rotterdam and NIO HUB Utrecht with a starting price of 29,900 EUR including tax. In Norway it will be available in NIO House Oslo, NIO House Kristiansand, NIO Space Bergen, NIO Space Trondheim and NIO Space Stavanger with a starting price of 279,900 NOK including tax. Launch is set for summer 2025.

Learn more at: https://www.firefly.world/nl_NL and https://www.firefly.world/no_NO

firefly made its global premiere at Shanghai AutoShow on April 23 and will make its european premiere at Autopia motorshow on April 25 in Stavanger, Norway, before expanding globally to further markets. Learn more at www.firefly.world and on Instagram: firefly.car.

about firefly

firefly is NIO's answer to the global compact electric car market: a new lifestyle mobility brand bringing smart, high-end compact electric cars designed for global urban life. Drawing inspiration from the energy and agility of its namesake, firefly embodies freedom, playfulness and confidence. The brand’s glowing firefly emblem and the motto "freedom to glow" capture its spirit of sophisticated innovation in a smaller, accessible package - powered by NIO’s global engineering expertise across Shanghai, Berlin, Oxford and Munich. The first model, the ‘firefly’ – which shares the brand’s own name – is a smart, small electric car with a strong focus on design, safety, space, intelligence and energy efficiency for users with an active urban lifestyle. firefly was globally unveiled in December 2024 and sales started in China in April 2025. firefly also enters Europe with a launch set for summer 2025 in Norway and the Netherlands, before expanding to further markets globally. Learn more at www.firefly.world and on Instagram: firefly.car.

about NIO

NIO is a global smart electric vehicle company founded in November 2014. Dedicated to shaping a sustainable and brighter future together by providing high-performance smart electric vehicles and exceptional user experiences, NIO is the first car company listed on the NYSE, HKEX and SGX. NIO currently has three major brands under its umbrella: NIO, ONVO and firefly.

Ten years into establishment, NIO is now one of the leading companies in the global premium smart electric vehicle market, committed to fostering its own research and development capabilities for core technologies. As of the end of February 2025, the company had filed for and obtained over 9,800 patents. Additionally, NIO has developed NIO Full Stack, a collection of 12 technology domains.

NIO has R&D and manufacturing facilities in Shanghai, Hefei, Beijing, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Wuhan, San Jose, Munich, Oxford, Berlin, Budapest, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. The company has also established sales and service networks in China, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, the UAE, Israel and Azerbaijan.

NIO Inc. currently offers nine premium smart electric vehicle models under the NIO brand and one smart electric vehicle under the ONVO brand. firefly has started its pre-orders in China. As of March 31, 2025, NIO Inc. had delivered a total of 713,658 vehicles, leading the premium BEV segment priced above RMB 300,000. Learn more at nio.com.

media contact:

press@firefly.world

*vehicle characteristics may vary depending on region, market, version and configuration.

**driver assistance functions may vary per region or depending on country-specific regulations.

***data are intended to compare different types of vehicle and are obtained from laboratory tests against the standards of the Worldwide Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). Actual real-world driving results may vary depending on factors including the starting charge of the battery, accessories fitted after registration, weather conditions, driving styles and vehicle load.

****charging speed and time is dependent on various conditions, including charger type and condition, battery temperature as well as ambient temperature at the point of use.