- Firefly's first model measures 4,003 mm in length and will be built at Nio's F2 plant.
- The battery supplier is Sunwoda, marking the first time the battery maker has been among Nio's suppliers.
Nio (NYSE: NIO) has made a regulatory filing for the first model of its sub-brand Firefly, which is expected to go on sale in April.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) today released its latest catalog of models that will be allowed to be sold for public comment, and Firefly's first model is included.
The public can submit feedback between January 11-17. Entry into the catalog is the last major regulatory process by which a model can be allowed to be sold in China.
The Firefly model has only one page in the catalog, and the model number is NAL7000BSEVY1, an all-electric vehicle that supports battery swap.
The model will be manufactured at No. 299 Baita Road, Economic and Technological Development Zone, Hefei city, Anhui province, where Nio's F2 plant is located.
The five-seater measures 4,003 mm in length, 1,781 mm in width and 1,557 mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,615 mm.
It weighs 1,492 kilograms and supports a top speed of 150 kilometers per hour.
It is powered by a single electric motor from Nio's electric motor division XPT with a peak power of 105 kW.
The Firefly model is powered by lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries from Sunwoda, the first time the battery maker has been a supplier to Nio.
Sunwoda started as a cell phone battery maker and was listed on the A-share market in 2011 as an Apple supplier.
In 2008, Sunwoda began manufacturing automotive power battery packs and battery management systems, and in 2018 it began formal mass production of battery cells.
On February 24, 2022, Sunwoda announced a capital increase plan for its subsidiary Sunwoda Electric Vehicle Battery Co Ltd (Sunwoda EVB), with the participation of a venture capital fund linked with William Li, the founder, chairman, and CEO of Nio.
Previously, Nio Inc's battery suppliers were CATL, BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY), and CALB.
Nio officially launched the Firefly brand at Nio Day 2024 on December 21 to challenge the BMW Mini as well as Mercedes-Benz's Smart with an eye on the global market.
The Firefly's first model shares the sub-brand's name and is positioned as a premium boutique small car.
The battery electric vehicle (BEV) model went on pre-sales in China on December 21 at a price of RMB 148,800 yuan ($20,300), and is set to be officially launched in April, Nio said at the time.
($1 = RMB 7.3315)
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