Nio is trying a new approach for Europe with a new brand and above all models that are more suited to the shopping habits of Europeans. Enough to eclipse Renault or Peugeot? Not necessarily.
Despite what could be considered a commercial failure, Nio is not yet abandoning its ambitions in Europe. For 2025, the Chinese manufacturer decided to attack the market with a new brand: Fireflies. Also sold in China, it should also allow Nio to develop its presence in more European countries with more rational electric cars. Several of the model’s features were revealed on January 10 with the release of an approval file from China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT).
It is with the 4-meter city car that the new entity wants to establish itself in the hearts of international customers. A niche where Renault 5 and Peugeot e-208 fear the arrival of new competition, but what are they really afraid of?
Main characteristics of the Firefly model
The vehicle measures 4.00 m in length, 1.78 m in width and 1.55 m in height, or 8 cm more than the Renault 5 and 5 cm less than the Peugeot e-208. On the other hand, the 2.61m wheelbase Firefly could be more livable than the French models. In terms of weight, the 1,492kg car wouldn’t be too much of an exaggeration, but it’s around forty kilos more than our French competition.
Unless the European specification changes, the Firefly will be offered with a single 105kW engine from the Nio catalogue. The model would reach a maximum speed of 150 km/h.
The Chinese brand would opt for Sunwoda’s LFP battery, which is a surprising choice given that the Nio is used to sources from BYD, CATL or CALB. Nio boss invested in Sunwood to develop their car battery business. There is no doubt that the price of the battery explains this choice. The battery capacity is not yet known, nor is the planned autonomy of the model. It is possible that the model will disappoint at this level.
The model is probably not as competitive in price
In China, pre-orders have been opened at a price from 19,900 EUR. At first glance, it is more affordable than models from Renault or Peugeot. When it arrives in Europe, the Firefly model probably won’t be offered at this price.
All or part of the tariff surcharge imposed on EVs made in China (20.7% net Nio) will have to be added. Without taking into account the manufacturer’s margin on the model. An average difference of 45% was observed between Chinese prices and European prices of top Nio models. However, the difference could be reduced for a brand that is positioned as more affordable.
It will also have to impress customers with its unique design, especially the three headlights. This light signature reminds me of spider eyes. Although, apart from this quirk, the model is quite well thought out. Finally, the Firefly could be battery-swappable compatible, like the other Nio models. That’s a feature that could win some customers over, even though the battery exchange network is still very thin in Europe at the moment.
One last thing could hinder the brand’s launch in Europe: Firefly is the name of the engine used by Fiat. After court disputes with Audi over its model names, does Nio risk further legal attacks on this new entity? This will have to be monitored.
French manufacturers can sleep easy in the face of this model. Other models like the BYD Dolphin Mini/Seagull are likely to be a bit more dangerous without risking dethroning our local stars.