Spy images reveal our first look at the side profile of the first EV model from NIO’s Firefly brand

We are less than a month away from the official public launch of NIO’s new ultra-affordable EV sub-brand, Firefly, but before that happens, we’ve got our best look at the marque’s first model to date. Recent spy images in China captured a camouflaged look at the side profile of the new Firefly EV, which appears quite compact. See more below.

Firefly is an upcoming boutique brand specializing in smaller, more affordable EVs spun out by Chinese automaker NIO. We’ve been awaiting the marque’s official launch for years after NIO divulged plans for two new all-electric sub-brands in the works. The first was codenamed “Alps,” which would officially become known as Onvo. That brand hit the market this year, beginning with its L60 SUV as a competitor to the Tesla Model Y.

In addition to Onvo, there were rumblings about a third NIO EV sub-brand, codenamed “Firefly.” In December 2023, NIO’s president confirmed the additional sub-brand would join Onvo in China in 2024, followed by entry into European markets in 2025.

NIO co-founder and president Qin Lihong has previously stated that Firefly EV models will be priced between RMB 100,000 ($13,800) and RMB 200,000 ($27,500). Up until now, we’ve only seen camouflaged images of what a Firefly BEV might look like as we await the anticipated launch, which is coming on December 21, 2024, during the automaker’s tenth annual NIO Day event.

Our latest spy images are still camouflaged but offer the first look at Firefly’s flagship EV model, which we learned earlier this month is called the Firefly.

Check out Firefly’s new EV ahead of next month’s launch

While we await uncovered images of the new Firefly EV in December, some fresh spy images have emerged out of China that give us a better idea of the scope of the latest model from its side profile. Car blogger and Weibo user Electric Planet Shin-chan (@电动星球小新) posted the image above with the following caption:

Recently, there are more spy photos of NIO Firefly, which will be officially unveiled next month. NIO organized a group of media teachers to see the real car. It is said that the appearance is bolder than the existing models, and the front and rear faces are very recognizable. The overall size of the car is between MINI and (Volkswagen) ID.3.

As you can see from the image, the Firefly EV from FIREFLY is relatively compact in length yet rather tall, enabling what looks like a spacious interior, especially in terms of headroom. Cargo space may be limited given the short front and rear ends, but the EV appears to have a similar design to a MINI but is larger.

We will wait to see how these spy images compare to the official launch of the new Firefly EV during NIO Day 2024, scheduled for December 21. At that time, we expect to learn more about the Firefly EV’s performance and capabilities, as well as its trim levels and pricing. Stay tuned for a full recap next month.