- Firefly represents the first model to come out of the partnership between Horizon Robotics and Nio.
- Nio-branded models will switch to its in-house Shenji chip, while the Onvo L60 uses the Nvidia Orin X.
The first model of Nio's (NYSE: NIO) third brand, Firefly, uses chips from local smart driving solutions provider Horizon Robotics (HKG: 9660), which could be one of the key contributing factors to the model having lower costs.
Texts in an image posted on Weibo by Horizon Robotics last night show that Firefly marks the launch of its first model in partnership with Nio.
Firefly vehicles, equipped with Horizon Robotics' Journey series of computing solutions, has a dynamic driving experience, the company said.
Firefly will give users best-in-class handling and intelligent experience and is the best small vehicle for urban exploration, Horizon Robotics said.
Back in November 2022, Horizon Robotics CEO Yu Kai said at a forum that the company entered into a partnership with Nio, which would use its products for one of the EV maker's new brands.
Prior to the ET9, all Nio-branded models came standard with four Nvidia Drive Orin smart driving chips with a total computing power of 1,016 TOPS.
The ET9, which saw deliveries begin at the end of March, is powered by two Shenji NX9031 smart driving chips developed by Nio in-house. The company had said a single Shenji chip has computing power of four mainstream autonomous driving chips combined.
Nio will update its main-selling models ET5, ET5 Touring, ES6, and EC6 this year, and one of the most significant changes will be the switch of the smart driving chip from Orin to Shenji NX9031.
Nio's other sub-brand Onvo's first model, the L60 mid-size SUV (sport utility vehicle), uses one Nvidia Orin X chip with 254 TOPS.
Onvo will unveil its second model, the L90, at the Shanghai auto show next week, and it's not clear if the mid to large-size SUV will also use Nvidia chips.
For Firefly, Horizon Robotics' chips could be one of the key factors that help it keep costs down.
Firefly's first model, which bears the same name as the sub-brand, went up for pre-sales in China on Nio Day 2024 last December at a price of RMB 148,800 yuan ($20,370).
The model will officially go on sale tomorrow, and will likely be priced lower than the pre-sales price.
Nio's local counterpart Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) is also one of Horizon Robotics' major customers, using the company's chips in its AD Pro driver-assistance system-equipped vehicles.
Li Auto's pricier models use the AD Max driver-assistance system with two Nvidia Orin X chips.
Li Auto plans to roll out facelifts of its current models next month, and the AD Pro's chips will be upgraded from Horizon Robotics' Journey 5 chip to the J6M chip, the company had said.
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