Peter Lyon
December 29, 2024
China’s Nio has just launched a new sub-brand called Firefly, and it looks strangely inspired by the all-electric Honda e. Although plans call for a European debut in the first half of 2025, the vehicle will initially be offered in China.
Although details are still sketchy, sources suggest that the Firefly will be equipped with Nio’s battery-swapping technology. In China, pre-orders start at CNY148,800, or roughly RM91,000 in Malaysia, and deliveries start in the second quarter of 2025.
Even if imitation is the purest form of flattery, there’s a strong hint of Honda in those curves and edges, and here we were thinking that China’s carmakers had given up on copying foreign designs. Despite this, the Firefly’s triple headlamp and taillight arrangement is unique.
Although no pictures of the interior were revealed, it should include big cockpit screens—like the Honda e—and a simple body design. With the rear seats folding, there is 1,250 litres of space in the back and a 92-liter frunk for cargo.
Firefly Awarded 5-star C-NCAP rating
Boasting a five-star C-NCAP certification, it has the best torsional rigidity in its class, with a reported value of 35,700 Nm/degree. Naturally, the ADAS suite and the nine airbags also contribute to that safety grade.
Nio doesn’t hesitate to put the Firefly in a difficult situation. In a Weibo video, it demonstrated its manoeuvrability by competing against the newest Mini Cooper SE and smart #1 across a short track, and the Nio did not outperform them. Nio is certain that the Firefly will work well on small European roads because of its 4.7-meter turning radius.
Firefly will employ the conventional path of a local partner, while Nio will continue to use the direct sales strategy in Europe. Numerous European partners have already committed to investing in the battery swap station infrastructure.
The tariffs that went into effect in October are the reason for the postponement of the European launch. Every automaker is charged a different rate with SAIC getting the highest rate at 35.3%, while Tesla China has the lowest at 7.8% with Nio in the middle with 20.7%.
The Firefly appears headed for Malaysia too by 2026.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
This Firefly certainly does employ obvious Honda e lines and contours with a nose design that could almost be an ‘e’ facelift. Even though it borrows styling hints, the Nio EV does look cool and boasts a competitive price, high safety levels and should offer reasonable range and charging capability.
