At the NIO Day 2024 event, which opened on December 21, NIO officially launched its third brand, Firefly. The brand’s first model, also named “Firefly“, made its debut and began pre-sales, with a pre-sale price of 148,800 yuan (~US$20,000). The new car is positioned as a small all-electric vehicle and is scheduled for official release in April 2025.

Let’s take a look at the new car. Its exterior features a bionic design, with the front end showcasing a “trio” headlight system composed of three circular halos, which are highly recognizable when illuminated. The grille adopts a capsule-like shape that connects seamlessly with the headlights, and the same design elements are used throughout the body, making it another signature feature of the car. Additionally, the vehicle is constructed with high-strength steel and aluminum alloy, accounting for an impressive 83.4% of its composition. For added safety, the front section and front doors are equipped with dual collision beams, and the car is fitted with a total of nine airbags.


The Firefly cleverly combines three dynamic halos into a “trio” headlight design. The number “three” symbolizes the concept of “infinite possibilities” and conveys wishes for continuous good fortune. The symmetrical front and rear layout of the trio headlights has become Firefly’s iconic visual symbol. The capsule-shaped design, which is seen throughout the car, is another signature feature seamlessly integrated with the trio headlights, enhancing the vehicle’s overall distinctiveness.


The side profile of the new vehicle features a dual-sided body design. To enhance its personalized attributes, the C-pillar connects seamlessly with the roof in a matching color scheme. Additionally, the car is equipped with front fender cameras, hidden door handles, and six-spoke dual-tone wheels. The lower side cladding is made of eco-friendly composite materials, while the clamshell-style tailgate integrates with the rear light clusters to form a cohesive surface, balancing unique styling with aerodynamic efficiency. The exclusive TBD design gives the vehicle a poised and dynamic appearance, even when stationary.

At the rear, the new vehicle features a roof spoiler design and a rear window wiper. The taillight cluster echoes the front headlights with a similar three-circle design, ensuring high recognizability. The rear bumper adopts a dual-layer design, while the trunk utilizes a clamshell-style tailgate, giving the overall shape a strong sense of dimensionality. Additionally, the new car boasts a 4.7-meter turning radius and supports full-scenario automatic parking functions.

The new vehicle also offers impressive front and rear storage space. The front trunk features good depth, with a capacity of 92 liters, supporting layered storage and a self-drainage function. The rear trunk can extend its storage capacity up to 1,250 liters by folding down the rear seats. Additionally, the car is equipped with rear auxiliary light clusters, further enhancing vehicle safety.

In terms of energy replenishment, the Firefly supports charging, battery swapping, and upgrades. The cost of building its battery swapping network is significantly lower due to its smaller battery size, which allows multiple units to fit into a single container, making deployment very convenient. For charging, the new vehicle will share NIO’s charging network.
Brand Strategy:
Firefly is positioned as a high-end smart electric compact car brand and will be sold globally in regions such as Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia. The new model will be launched simultaneously in both China and Europe. It will also be the only Firefly product available in the domestic Chinese market. However, for global markets, Firefly will develop models tailored to meet the specific needs of local consumers.
Li Bin stated: “The brand spirit of Firefly is ‘Shining Freely.’ Firefly offers a free and agile travel experience, a thoughtfully designed, safe, and reliable living space, making every journey a moment to shine and express oneself. At the same time, Firefly enables us to serve a broader range of users, marking an important step toward achieving NIO’s mission of ‘Blue Sky Coming’—co-creating a sustainable and better future. We hope everyone will support Firefly just as they have supported the NIO and ALPS brands.”