Nio brand Firefly to launch in Europe next week

Chinese EV manufacturer Nio will begin deliveries of its compact car brand Firefly in Europe next week. Norway and the Netherlands will lead the rollout, with additional European markets to follow shortly after.

The European debut of Firefly has been eagerly anticipated. Nio confirmed in April that it would launch its new brand in Norway and the Netherlands. The official start date is now set for 14 August 2025.

Also announced in April, the pricing for Firefly’s first model – also named Firefly – positions it well above the psychological €20,000 threshold in Europe. Thanks to tax exemptions on electric vehicles in Norway, the model will retail there for a competitive €23,500. In the Netherlands, however, buyers will pay €29,900 including VAT – a price point likely to carry over to markets such as Germany.

In return, customers receive a fully electric compact car equipped with a 41.2 kWh LFP battery, delivering a WLTP range of 330 kilometres and up to 470 kilometres in WLTP City. The battery charges at up to 100 kW at DC stations, with a standard 10–80 per cent charge taking 29 minutes.

Nio unveiled the Firefly brand and its debut model in December 2024 during Nio Day. Pricing details followed in April. On the Chinese market, the car starts at 119,800 yuan, currently equivalent to around €14,400.

Nio does not intend to market Firefly as a budget offering. Instead, the brand targets the premium compact segment, positioning itself alongside names such as Mini and Smart. This approach aligns with Nio’s premium positioning and avoids diluting the brand’s strategy with mixed-market messaging.

According to Car News China, Nio plans to expand Firefly to Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria, Poland, Romania, the Czech Republic and Hungary shortly after launching in Norway and the Netherlands. The precise timing remains unclear. In June, Nio confirmed plans to introduce both its core brand and Firefly in these seven countries. However, only Austria and Hungary are scheduled to launch before the end of 2025. Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic are slated for 2026.

Until now, Nio has operated in Europe only in Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark and Sweden. Given this footprint, Firefly is also expected to launch soon in the remaining three markets.

cnevpost.com, carnewschina.com

This article was first published by Florian Treiß for electrive’s German edition.