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Chinese car maker NIO has officially launched its entry-level brand Firefly at Auto Shanghai 2025, with the small electric car of the same name possibly set for launch in Australia.
The 2025 Firefly electric car is a European-designed and developed hatchback already confirmed for Europe, wearing a starting price of €29,900 (A$53,296).
Furthermore, amongst the many trademarks registered by NIO in Australia are the name and logo for Firefly, yet to be approved by the government’s IP Australia department.
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In a press release paraphrasing NIO CEO William Li, the brand confirmed “Firefly will gradually enter overseas markets covering 16 countries”.
“This year, NIO will adopt more efficient and flexible approaches to achieve its goal of entering 25 countries and regions,” the statement said.
Given the general acceptance of new brands from China in this market, it’s a logical assumption that one of the 25 countries and regions would be Australia.
The Firefly looks set to rival the likes of the electric Mini Cooper and Fiat 500e, with its dimensions coming in at 4003mm long, 1885mm wide and 1557mm tall.
Its powertrain consists of a rear axle-mounted 105kW/200Nm electric motor drawing power from a 42.1kWh battery, with a city-friendly claimed 330km WLTP-tested range Firefly says can reach 470km in city driving conditions.
A near-50/50 weight distribution, a 9.4m turning circle, five-link rear suspension and a claimed 0-100km/h sprint in 8.1 seconds all contribute to a potentially fun and convenient driving experience, but the design and interior of the eponymous hatchback are even more likely to draw in buyers.
A 13.2-inch multimedia touchscreen and a small 6.0-inch driver display are the key features in a minimalist cabin, which has a 256-colour ambient lighting system that interacts with the multimedia.
Firefly says, “For example when swiping two fingers on the left side of the touch screen to adjust cabin temperature, the interior ambient light will turn red when temperature increases, and blue when it drops.”
It also boasts a 14-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos, a panoramic sunroof (that doesn’t appear to have a blind), heated front seats and steering wheel as standard, and possible options like vented seats, massage functions and a fragrance diffuser.
The brand says the Firefly EV is “designed and engineered to meet both the latest C-NCAP and Euro-NCAP five-star ratings safety requirements”, though it hasn’t been assessed yet.
At Auto Shanghai, William Li said NIO has plenty more in the pipeline, not just from NIO and Firefly but also from its other brand ONVO.
“In 2025, NIO is ushering in a year of technological harvest and is rapidly moving into a new product cycle, planning to launch nine models under its three brands. There will be a major new model for every quarter.
“On display at the NIO stand, are the achievements of NIO’s decade of technological innovation, culminating in the ET9 which represents the latest breakthroughs in global smart electric vehicles,” he said.
The ET9 is NIO’s electric premium sedan, which the brand positions as its flagship model.
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