Scoop pics: Cute Nio Firefly electric hatch caught testing in Australia, could be on-sale here in 2026
The long-expected arrival of the Chinese start-up Nio in Australia could be led by this compact electric hatchback, the Firefly.
Spotted recently on-tested near Canberra by the automotive website carsales, the Firefly is a funky five-door the size of entry-level models like the BYD Dolphin and MG4.
It’s a far cry from the expensive and luxurious large EVs such as the ET9 and ES7, Nio is traditionally known for.
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Firefly is one of two recently announced sub-brands of Nio, the other being Onvo.
Nio CEO William Li has made no secret of export plans for Firefly beyond China starting with Europe, where it has already launched.
The UK right-hand drive market is on that agenda, which eases the way for introduction to Australia.
At the Shanghai show in April, a Nio staffer told carsales that Australia was on the export schedule for Firefly in 2026.
Nio has hinted at an Australian launch for the master brand in 2025 as far back as 2021, but there is currently no sign it’s on schedule to do that.
Importantly, both Nio and Firefly and their trademarks have been registered with IP Australia.
Obviously, the smartphone-style tri-headlight and tri-tail-light array is the most striking aspect of the Firefly’s styling.
Inside it’s got the sort of simplified dual-screen instrumentation and infotainment set-up the Chinese brands have become renowned for.
Reflecting its export goals, the Firefly was designed in Europe.
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.
The 0-100km/h claim is a modest but not unacceptable 8.1 seconds.
The claimed WLTP range is a similarly modest 330km. Charging rates are 11kW AC and 100kW DC.
The key question is price and positioning. While a starting price well below $40,000 would help generate more volume, European pricing suggests Nio has a more premium ambition for its cute hatch.
In Europe, Firefly has its sights set on the Mini Cooper EV. In Australia, that car’s starting price is over $50,000 plus on-road costs.
Reflecting its export ambitions the Firefly gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connection, which more luxurious Nios still miss out on.
The Firefly comes with vegan leather trim, ambient lighting, 14-speaker audio, seven airbags and automated active driving assistance.
Other Firefly equipment to note includes a 92 litre frunk and a 404 litre boot – big for its overall 4.0 metre size – opened by a power tailgate.
