Nio Firefly - coming to Singapore in 2026

[steveting99]

Launched in mainland China during Shanghai Auto show 2025, Nio's Firefly is making it's way to the shores of Singapore in Q1 of 2026 according to Straits Times (ST) article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/motoring/chinese-ev-brand-nio-to-be-launched-in-singapore-in-first-quarter-of-2026

The Firefly has unique signature lights consisting of three circles for the front as well as around the back. Tires are 215/50 with 18" alloy rims.

According to ST's article, Singapore will be the first ASEAN country to get the Right Hand Drive (RHD) international version of the Firefly as Nio starts it's expansion outside of the ultra competitive mainland China market. 

Dimensions of the hatchback Firefly are as follows.

Length: 4,003mm (relatively short)

Width: 1,781mm (relatively narrow)

Height: 1,557mm

Wheelbase: 2,615mm

Unique C-pillar (loop) design of the Firefly. Selected specification details known so far:

Front suspension: MacPherson strut

Rear suspension: 5 link multi-way

Minimum turning radius: 4.7m (makes for a short turning circle of 9.4m)

Unladen weight: 1,492kg

Power train: 105kW Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) electric motor producing 200Nm of torque. Should be a fun car to drive. Would also qualify in Cat A territory here in Singapore without having to de-tune the power train! 🤙

Century sprint time: 8.2s (Will be one of the fastest Cat A rides in Singapore)

Nio says that models exported to Europe will have a retuned suspension and steering system to suit local market tastes. Hopefully Singapore gets the Conti tuning to make the ride more premium feeling.

High voltage battery details: LFP chemistry and sized at 42.1kWhr. High voltage battery supplier is Sunwoda. The interesting and unique feature of Nio high voltage battery pack is that it can be swapped out!🫡 See details further below.

Driving range: 330km (WLTP)

AC charging: 11kW (three-phase) 

DC charging: 100kW. 29 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%.

Drive train efficiency: 14.5kWhr / 100 km (claimed under WLTP test conditions)

The Firefly comes with a 92L front trunk. 

The rear cargo space is rate around 400L and with the back seats folded down - grows to 1,345L. Decent, but not that great either.

Nio is famous for their battery swapping technology and the Firefly is designed for this. The Fireflys would use Nio's fifth-generation swap stations. The main question is if Nio and it's Authorized Distributor (Wearnes Automotive) can get their act together by placing a few battery swap stations in strategic locations around Singapore - it would remove any range anxiety and overcome the short driving range (330km) of the 42.1kWhr high voltage battery pack. The added bonus of not having to fight over the plug and a five minute swap makes life convenient for owners. The Firefly still has a plug, so if one wants to top up charge (either AC or DC), it's still possible. 

There is also the benefit of having a lower OMV when importing the Firefly with a small high voltage battery pack. Which means the high spec version with no cut down features can be on the road due to the VES and EEAI rebates currently in place. For future owners, this will reduce upfront costs and make it more competitive compared to those EVs that have the traditional fixed high voltage batteries. The risk is the high monthly fee that Nio and Wearnes Automotive will charge owners for using the swap stations. If the costs are the same as charging from a plug - it'll be a winner for all. Initially, the Firefly will come with the large high voltage battery pack. 

Competition for the Firefly will be:

(1) Dongfeng Box;

(2) BYD Atto 2;

(3) BYD Dolphin;

(4) Seres 3;

(5) Hyundai Kona electric;

(6) GWM Ora Good Cat;

(7) Geely / Proton Emas 5 (should be coming around the same time as the Firefly).

 Will a follow up post on the interior of Nio Firefly.

 

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 07:32 AM by steveting99
additional text and typo

[Ginyu]

Repackage Honda E?🤣

[steveting99]

This is a follow post on the Firefly's interior.

Like most Chinese EVs the interior of the Firefly incorporates and adopts a minimalist design language. Starting from the front seats, there no physical push buttons (boo-hooh!) so it's going to be the 2.5k resolution 13.2" floating infotainment touch screen display to get things done. Option is the voice control. In front of the driver's two spoke steering wheel is the 6" driver's display. Kinda small and will need reading glasses.

The air vents are in a continuous line located at the base of the dashboard and are illuminated by the ambient lighting system. Apparently there's a swing mode to simulate an air breeze, but you'll have to dig through the touch screen to enable this feature. 

The steering wheel, has scroll wheels and tactile buttons. Its made from antibacterial microfiber leather. The gear selector is mounted on the column - freeing up additional space in the front cabin. 

The center console features a folding armrest revealing a storage bin along with a single cupholder and active cooled wireless charging pad with a drawer underneath. It's disconnected from the dashboard and designed to allow the driver to exit the through the passenger door when parked in tight spaces. Like a tatami style front bench - another unique feature.

The dashboard is upholstered in microfiber, and the doors and armrests are upholstered in fake leather.

The Firefly features 256-colour “Floating Light” ambient lighting with eight pre-set themes and three breathing modes, synchronizing with the interior style. Every operation triggers a unique light effect, from startup animations to climate control adjustments.

The front passenger seat can be flipped up to reveal a hidden storage space. Good place to hide things from the outside world.

It has magnetic mounting points in the front and rear rows to mount accessories, such as a coffee cup shown above. There's a fragrance dispenser system somewhere nearby. 

Or the a storage bin the back seats.

There's the obligatory panoramic sun roof on the higher end model. Unfortunately the cheaper lower end unit doesn't get one.  There are two seat options available. The first one is upholstered in microfiber and contrasting fake leather with a useless heating function (deserves $10k discount for providing this). The other is 10-way adjustable electric seats and is upholstered again in fake leather, with three-hole cluster perforations for its ventilation functions, along with a massaging function at the front row seats.

The back seats are bench style and can be flipped up to reveal more hidden cubby spaces to store things away from the outside world. 

A 14 speaker system is provided on the top end model that can do Dolby Atmos cinematic 7.1.4 surround sound set up.

 

The rear seats can be folded down flat to give an almost complete flat floor to load long and bulky items. 

The nice thing is that all trim levels are fitted with nine air bags, including the front middle air bag to provide a cushion for the front occupants in the event of a side impact collision. Expecting five star Euro NCAP rating because of this. 

Will see what Wearnes Automotive has to offer in Q1 2026 on the Firefly. Hopefully it wont be the cut down, poverty stricken version and following the existing AD play book of high pricing with little to no value for money. 

 

Edited Tuesday at 10:10 AM by steveting99
additional text and typo

[ER-3682]

China Evs,either used Animal or Insect's Name,damm 🤦‍♂️....I  think one Day sure use ''Lizard''  for a AWD EV.

[Volvobrick]

On 8/19/2025 at 7:14 PM, ER-3682 said:

China Evs,either used Animal or Insect's Name,damm 🤦‍♂️....I  think one Day sure use ''Lizard''  for a AWD EV.

I think LTA won't allow it. It has exclusive claim to that name..... 

[ER-3682]

On 8/19/2025 at 7:50 PM, Volvobrick said:

I think LTA won't allow it. It has exclusive claim to that name..... 

What ''Claim''.?

[Soya]

WLTP onli 330km? Means abt 270km in real life. Gonna be another charger hogger.... 

 

[inlinesix]

On 8/19/2025 at 9:32 PM, Soya said:

WLTP onli 330km? Means abt 270km in real life. Gonna be another charger hogger.... 

Car so small. How to put more battery?
270km is enough for Singapore 

[Benarsenal]

The front looks ugly.

I have a friend who works for Nio in China. He say the company losing a lot of money until very jialat. The battery swap network costs a lot of money to run.

[inlinesix]

On 8/19/2025 at 11:27 PM, Benarsenal said:

The front looks ugly.

I have a friend who works for Nio in China. He say the company losing a lot of money until very jialat. The battery swap network costs a lot of money to run.

TLDR 公司圈投資人？🤭

[Hoseyboh]

On 8/19/2025 at 9:32 PM, Soya said:

WLTP onli 330km? Means abt 270km in real life. Gonna be another charger hogger.... 

 

Dude, This car can swap battery. Hog Simi charger! 😁

[Soya]

On 8/20/2025 at 7:05 AM, Hoseyboh said:

Dude, This car can swap battery. Hog Simi charger! 😁

Lol...good luck to Nio trying to scale that in sg

 

[Lethalstrike]

I don't think the NIO battery swapping stations will become a reality here in Singapore, partly because of the prohibitively high costs in setting up one and you will also need to get past LTA's dinosaur and risk-adverse mentality when it comes to new technologies. This is after all, an entity which gives us the 3 piece meal abomination in the form of ERP 2.0.  LTA is only willing to do limited trial for battery swapping on e-bikes and commercial vehicles. 

[Beregond]

On 8/21/2025 at 10:22 AM, Lethalstrike said:

I don't think the NIO battery swapping stations will become a reality here in Singapore, partly because of the prohibitively high costs in setting up one and you will also need to get past LTA's dinosaur and risk-adverse mentality when it comes to new technologies. This is after all, an entity which gives us the 3 piece meal abomination in the form of ERP 2.0.  LTA is only willing to do limited trial for battery swapping on e-bikes and commercial vehicles. 

Actually we are testing already. 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/first-public-battery-charge-and-swop-station-for-electric-heavy-commercial-vehicles-opens-at-tuas

First public battery charge and swop station for electric heavy commercial vehicles opens at Tuas

[Benarsenal]

On 8/21/2025 at 10:40 AM, Beregond said:

Actually we are testing already. 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/first-public-battery-charge-and-swop-station-for-electric-heavy-commercial-vehicles-opens-at-tuas

First public battery charge and swop station for electric heavy commercial vehicles opens at Tuas

In Tuas can lah. I don't think there's enough space to put it in a built up area.

[Beregond]

On 8/21/2025 at 11:17 AM, Benarsenal said:

In Tuas can lah. I don't think there's enough space to put it in a built up area.

Can imagine this way. In the near future. There are 80%ev and 20% and most of our petrol station are converted to become battery changing station already. 

And then add charging station at mscp.

[inlinesix]

On 8/21/2025 at 12:34 PM, Beregond said:

Can imagine this way. In the near future. There are 80%ev and 20% and most of our petrol station are converted to become battery changing station already. 

And then add charging station at mscp.

Not possible unless there is an industry standard for that.

Currently, only Gogoro and Foton offers battery swap within its lineup.

EV supposed to charge whenever there is charger nearby.

So, there is no range anxiety at all.

[Volvobrick]

On 8/21/2025 at 10:22 AM, Lethalstrike said:

I don't think the NIO battery swapping stations will become a reality here in Singapore, partly because of the prohibitively high costs in setting up one and you will also need to get past LTA's dinosaur and risk-adverse mentality when it comes to new technologies. This is after all, an entity which gives us the 3 piece meal abomination in the form of ERP 2.0.  LTA is only willing to do limited trial for battery swapping on e-bikes and commercial vehicles. 

The are calculating dollar and cents.....

Buy EV with the smallest 20kWh battery with 20k omv but swap to 100kWh pack at the swapping station. Wohoo!