NIO’s smallest (and most mysterious) car features a 60 kW battery that provides a range of 140 km.

26/10/2026 13:00

Updated to

26/10/2026 13:00

Generally, in electric cars, the battery that comes with the vehicle from the dealership is the one it will have for its entire lifespan. However, NIO’s compact car brand, Firefly, has just broken this rule. Its only model, also known as Firefly, is now available starting this Friday with a 60 kWh battery that increases range from 420 to 560 kilometers under China’s CLTC testing cycle. Existing owners can also replace their batteries with the new ones.

Until now, the model was only available with a 42 kWh battery. With this option, Firefly now matches the other two brands in the group. NIO, the parent company, offers versions with batteries ranging from 75 to 100 kWh, while ONVO uses batteries between 60 and 85 kWh. For a competitor to Mini and Smart, an extra 33% in range makes the difference between a city car and one that allows driving on roads without constantly checking the battery indicator.

A different chemistry in the same segment

The basic 42 kWh battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, while the 60 kWh version employs ternary lithium cells (NCM), which store more energy in the same volume. This allows the brand to increase capacity without altering the package size or the car’s curb weight. The battery is supplied by CATL.

Both share a standardized module design, with the same casing, mounting points, and locking system, allowing them to be swapped in without affecting the rest of the car. Performance remains unchanged: it accelerates from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 7.9 seconds with either battery.

Price in China

NIO offers two purchasing options. For the full purchase, the Firefly with a 60 kWh battery starts at 136,800 yuan, which is approximately 17,780 euros. This is 17,000 yuan (2,210 euros) more than the 42 kWh version, a difference that applies to all three trims (Free, Glow, and Halo). The most expensive trim costs 150,300 yuan (19,540 euros).

With battery as a service (BaaS), where you purchase the car and rent the battery on a monthly basis, the starting price is the same for both: 79,800 yuan (10,370 euros). What changes is the monthly fee, which rises from 399 yuan (52 euros) to 599 yuan (78 euros) for the larger battery.

How to upgrade a car that has already been sold

The best part is that this upgrade is available not only to new customers. Firefly offers the option to replace the battery. Those who purchased the car along with the battery must wait at least a year from the invoice date and pay 17,000 yuan (2,210 euros). Those who rented the battery pay a one-time fee of 3,000 yuan (390 euros) and will have to pay a monthly charge of 599 yuan. The cars delivered are upgraded at NIO’s battery swap stations.

All of this is possible because the Firefly is already compatible with NIO’s network. At 4,003 millimeters in length and 2,615 millimeters in width, it was too short for fourth-generation stations. However, fifth-generation stations, which began operating on August 7 in seven Chinese cities, can accommodate it.

A small car selling increasingly well

While in Europe, where it is reportedly available since last year, it is hardly seen due to NIO’s difficulties in penetrating the Old Continent, the situation in China is very different. Firefly reached 90,000 cumulative deliveries on October 16, just one and a half months after surpassing 80,000. In September, it set a monthly record with 7,327 units, 26.87% more than a year earlier, and from January to September it delivered 48,122 cars, accounting for 16.02% of the group’s total deliveries. NIO has already confirmed that it is delaying the European launch plans for its other sub-brand, ONVO, which will not be available until 2028.