Nio unleashes Firefly EV, a compact hatch with bug eyes

Chinese EV maker Nio has unveiled the first entry in its Firefly brand lineup – a small hatchback sporting a rather unusual exterior. It’s already there for ordering, with prices starting from 148,800 Yuan.

Just to be clear, the company says “Firefly” is the name of its new affordable sub-brand and at the same time the name of the hatchback seen here. It features an all-new design language not found on any other Nio EVs, with six eye-like headlights and the same arrangement of taillights. A solid black slab resides where the radiator grille usually is, mirrored by an identical part at the back. The bumper has a compact-sized air intake in it, and there is a tailgate spoiler as well.

The company points out an abundance of luggage space – 92 liters (3.25 cubic feet) in the frunk and 1,250 liters (44.2 cu. ft.) in the trunk. The car body is made from 83.4% high-tensile steel and offers class-leading torsional rigidity. Thanks to its small size, the Firefly EV has an impressive turn radius of 4.7 meters, or 15.4 feet. Nio boldly claims that it expects the car to win five out of five C-NCAP stars for safety. Nine airbags and numerous electronic safeguards should help it pass the crash tests with exceptional results.

It is worth noting that Firefly is envisioned as an international car marque targeting Europe among other markets. In China, the Firefly EV is slated to go on sale at Nio dealerships in April 2025. When the other markets may get is remains to be announced.