Revealed: How China’s Nio Firefly EV has been influenced by the Aussie Holden Commodore

December 1, 2025December 1, 2025 Bruce Newton 658 Views 0 Comments Firefly, Mike Barber, Multimatic, Nio, Nio Firefly

An Australian automotive engineer integral to the development of the last locally-developed Holden Commodore has been revealed as a key influence over the driving manners of the Nio Firefly small EV.

The goggle-eyed Firefly is already a hit in China and is due on-sale in Australia as soon as 2026.

Now, dynamics expert Michael Barber has been exposed as playing a pivotal role in the car’s development.

Barber, as a chassis engineer at Holden, was intrinsic to the design and development of the VE-VF Commodore that launched in 2006 and stayed in production until the Aussie brand’s factory closed in 2017.

Holden was shut down in 2021 by its parent General Motors.

Barber nowadays is based in the UK and works for the global auto engineering firm Multimatic. Over the decades he has been involved in the development of literally dozens of new vehicles.

Usually he completes his work very much in the background. But the Chinese EV start-up Nio has decided to promote his involvement in the development of the Firefly, dropping a video interview with him on its Weibo social media channel in China.

Barber, who frequently spent time with the media in his Holden role, explains the fundamental dynamic aims of the Firefly program and is also shown happily driving the car and deep in conversation with Nio engineers.

“A car doesn’t need to be expensive to deliver an exceptional driving experience,” he says in a voice-over. “Achieving the right balance means understanding the complex interactions between suspension and components and the road.

“The wide wheelbase and track width relative to body size also contribute to stable, confident handling.

“For a vehicle dynamicist that balance is crucial.”

The Firefly is powered by a modest 105kW/200Nm e-motor driving the rear wheels, with juice supplied from a 42kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

2026 Nio Firefly spotted testing in Australia. Pic: carsales.com.au.

The 0-100km/h claim is 8.1 seconds and the claimed WLTP range 330km. Charging rates are 11kW AC and 100kW DC.

The five-door hatch measures up at around 4.0m long, making it a natural rival on size at least for the BYD Atto 1 and incoming Geely EX2. However, there have been suggestions its local pricing could be higher than those two.

Barber explains in the video how Multimatic’s involvement started with reviews of virtual design then proceeded to testing of physical prototype and pre-production Fireflys.

“One of the key strengths of the Firefly is its near 50/50 weight distribution front to rear which enhances rear-wheel drive traction and gives a natural throttle response through corners,” Barber explains as he’s shown wheeling the car between cones on a skid pan.

“For Firefly we endorsed a five-link independent rear suspension. It’s a more complex design but offers performance benefits you rarely find in a car at this price-point, improved ride comfort and handling.

“I’m very pleased with the final result, the car is capable and comfortable. Confident yet relaxing, it handles whatever the road throws at it with ease.”

Barber’s appearance comes around the same time Nio revealed the right-hand drive version of the Firefly at the Guangzhou motor show with Singapore and Thailand the first RHD export markets.

Nio execs have confirmed more than once their Australian plans. The Firefly has also been pictured testing in Australia and gained approval for local sale.

In the video Barber explains how the Firefly’s dynamic set-up was meant to deliver a sporting posture that would be enjoyed in export markets such as Europe (and presumably Australia).

“We bias the suspension performance towards steering precision, directional dedication and increased vertical motion control,” he said.

“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved … this is just the beginning of what Firefly can deliver.”