Following the release of spy photos from domestic road tests in March this year, spy photos of NIO's third brand, codenamed "Firefly," conducting road tests in Catalonia, Spain, were recently exposed by foreign media.
As the third brand under NIO, Firefly has a more entry-level positioning compared to the second brand "Ledao", and its relationship with the main brand NIO is similar to MINI's relationship with BMW. This brand mainly competes with compact entry-level models such as BYD Dolphin and MG4 pure electric version, and its pricing is significantly lower than local European competitors such as Renault Megana E-TECH or Volkswagen ID.3.
The road test photos exposed this time show that the new car is still in a heavily disguised state, but some exposed components reveal possible styling and interior orientation of the new car.
Similar to previous domestic disguised cars, the appearance of Firefly will include a more square front design, which is common in models designed for cities and short trips. For potential consumers of compact car models, more people have relatively low attention to aerodynamics and high demand for space, and the raised body also conforms to NIO's battery swapping tradition.
The spy photos also show that the overall shape of the vehicle's headlights and taillights is square, but the corners have been rounded to reduce aggressiveness. Firefly vehicles are also equipped with multiple cameras and sensors on the exterior, expected to provide a high level of driving assistance like NIO and Ledao.
The physical dimensions of the new car are expected to be between 4.10 and 4.20 meters in length, with tire markings of 215/50 R18. This large-sized design is relatively rare in compact/small cars, but to some extent reduces the visual center of gravity of the new car.
Internally, Firefly is equipped with a large digital display screen for the vehicle, but it is not connected to the dashboard. The technical specifications and performance data are currently highly confidential, and the market predicts that the model will be equipped with an electric motor between 136 and 204 horsepower and a 60 kWh battery, providing a WLTP range of approximately 450 kilometers.
With the continuous release of spy photos from road tests, the official launch of the brand is also entering the countdown. In June, NIO announced at the event that it plans to make its debut in the Chinese market before the end of this year and is expected to launch in Europe in the first half of 2025; In July, the first European debut of Firefly was further confirmed to be in the summer of 2025, and the price may be below 30000 euros.
It should be noted that considering the recent tariffs imposed by Europe on China and other factors, NIO does not rule out the possibility of producing in Europe in the future. However, NIO Chairman Li Bin also stated that setting up factories in Europe lacks cost rationality unless it achieves a sales performance of 100000 vehicles.
At present, NIO's layout in the European market is also expanding, and NIO recently completed the opening of its eighth exhibition hall in Europe. As the company expands its visibility in Europe, the dissemination of information when Firefly is released will also benefit.