Nio Firefly Halo: new compact EV series to debut in China on July 20

Nio Inc's premium compact EV brand is preparing to expand beyond its first model with Halo, a design-focused lineup that gives Nio a broader presence in China’s urban EV market. The launch comes as the brand builds momentum from strong delivery growth, accessible pricing and a strategy aimed at younger city drivers.

Nio Inc's premium compact EV brand Firefly is preparing to broaden its product strategy with the launch of Halo, a new design-led series aimed at strengthening its position in China's urban electric-car market. 

The company unveiled the Halo series on Friday and said the first model in the lineup will make its official debut on July 20. 

Firefly released several teaser images showing the vehicle's exterior finish, softly illuminated logo and wheel details, presenting Halo as a styling-focused extension of the brand's compact EV offering. 

A launch event is scheduled for 7:00 pm Beijing Time on July 20 at the Shanghai Botanical Garden, where Firefly says it will outline the design thinking behind the model's colors, materials and details. Display vehicles are also due to arrive at Firefly stores across China on July 20, giving prospective customers the first opportunity to view the model in person. 

The move marks a shift from Firefly's current single-model structure toward a broader portfolio, a step that could help support the brand's next phase of volume growth. 

Firefly currently sells one model, the lowest-priced vehicle in Nio Inc's portfolio, targeting younger buyers and urban commuters in the compact electric-car segment. 

The vehicle measures 4,003 mm in length and has a wheelbase of 2,615 mm. It uses a single motor with a peak output of 120 kW, while its 42.1-kWh battery pack provides a range of up to 420 kilometers. 

Its pricing gives Nio Inc a more accessible entry point in China's intensely competitive EV market, where compact cars and lower price bands remain critical to volume expansion. 

The model starts at 119,800 yuan ($17,690) in China for outright purchases, while the higher-spec version starts at 125,800 yuan. Under Nio's BaaS battery-rental plan, the entry price falls to 79,800 yuan. 

The brand began customer deliveries on April 29, 2025, and said on Thursday that cumulative deliveries had surpassed 70,000 units, about 15 months after the first cars reached customers. 

In June, Firefly delivered 6,946 vehicles, up 76.7 percent year-on-year and the brand's second-highest monthly total on record. 

First-half deliveries reached 29,172 vehicles, up 271.9 percent year-on-year and equal to 15.26 percent of Nio Inc's total deliveries over the period. 

Safety performance has also become part of Firefly's positioning. The Firefly EV earned a five-star rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test, including a 96 percent score for adult occupant protection, the highest result among models evaluated in the 2025 test cycle. 

The five-door hatchback also scored 87 percent for child occupant protection, 82 percent for vulnerable road-user protection and 86 percent for safety assist systems. 

Daniel Jin, president of the Nio sub-brand, said safety had been a core requirement from the product-definition phase, despite the cost and packaging constraints typically associated with small cars. 

Jin said the challenge was compounded by Firefly's short front and rear overhangs, which limit available crumple-zone space, but added that structural design, hardware capability and material selection enabled the model to meet its safety targets.