• The new compact electric hatchback will be sold in China and throughout Europe.
  • Nio may establish a dedicated battery swap network for the Firefly brand.
  • The new brand will slot below the Onvo family in Nio’s portfolio.

New spy shots have surfaced online of the new EV from Firefly, the entry-level brand from Chinese automaker Nio. The car is tipped to be showcased to the world on December 21 at the annual Nio Day in Guangzhou.

While Nio itself is only a relatively young EV startup, it’s following the lead of other Chinese automakers in launching separate brands dedicated to building cheaper and more accessible cars. Firefly will slot below the recently introduced Onvo brand from Nio and focus on small and mid-size EVs. These photos confirm its first model will be a compact hatchback.

Read: Nio Drops Onvo L60 Price To Obliterate Tesla’s Model Y, Starts At $21K

We first caught a glimpse of the new car back in March, but new photos give us a better look at it. The car’s proportions are fairly typical for a hatchback of this size, and key elements like the short front and rear overhangs immediately catch the eye. Viewed from the side, it’s impossible not to notice the car’s thick C-pillars as well as the aero covers over the wheels. The dimensions resemble vehicles like the five-door Mini Cooper and BYD Dolphin.

Nio’s engineers have done a good job hiding the car’s front and rear fascias from prying eyes, even going to the trouble of affixing faux headlights and taillights to the black body cladding. It’s safe to assume that both the headlights and taillights will be LED units.

This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21

Photos of the Firefly’s interior have also been published by IT Home and CarNewsChina. Like plenty of other EVs out there, the Firefly sports a large central infotainment screen that looks like a huge tablet has been stuck to the dash. Despite the car’s budget positioning, Nio has also managed to add a digital instrument cluster, which is a nice touch (take note, Tesla). A simple two-spoke steering wheel and a flat floor are also visible.

Technical specifications about the car remain unclear, but it will reportedly support battery swapping through dedicated Firefly swap stations. It’ll initially launch in China but should also be sold in Europe, although recent tariff hikes will likely make it more expensive than originally planned. China prices could start between ¥100,000-200,000 (~$13,700 – $27,400), while European prices should kick off from under €30,000 (~$31,500).

This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21
This Is The New Budget EV From Nio’s Firefly Brand, Launching On December 21