- By the end of this year, Firefly will be in about 20 overseas markets.
- The first markets will include Singapore, where Nio Inc's distributor agreement is expected to be signed later this week.
Nio's (NYSE: NIO) Firefly sub-brand will pick the right time between June and August to launch its first model in Europe, following the small car's launch in China earlier this month.
The co-founder and president of the electric vehicle (EV) maker Qin Lihong revealed the timeline in response to a question from CnEVPost at a media roundtable in Shanghai today.
By the end of this year, Firefly will be in about 20 overseas markets, and the right-hand drive version will be ready by October of this year at the latest, Qin said.
The right-hand drive version of Firefly will first be available in markets including the UK and Southeast Asia, according to Qin.
The first markets will include Singapore, where Nio Inc's distributor agreement is expected to be signed later this week, Qin said.
Firefly's first model to bear the brand's name and was officially launched in China on April 19, with a starting price of RMB 119,800 ($16,400) including the battery pack. Its deliveries will begin on April 29.
Firefly is positioned by Nio as a boutique small car, with its most direct competitors including the BMW Mini.
The brand will share sales channels with the Nio brand, unlike Nio's other sub-brand, Onvo, which has separate sales channels.
At the 2025 Shanghai auto show, which starts tomorrow, Firefly will share the booth 7A16 in Hall 7.1H with Nio-branded models. Onvo's separate booth is in Hall 6.2H, at 6B03.
Nio had originally planned to launch Firefly in Europe first, but higher tariffs forced it to change its strategy.
Firefly is a model aimed at the global market, Qin emphasized during today's roundtable. The model has previously been tested in multiple overseas markets.
When the Firefly project was first set up, Nio's team visited more than 40 cities in 17 countries, including China, and spent more than two months in Europe, said Tina Wang, head of product experience at Firefly, last month.
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