It looks as if each month one other Chinese language model is introduced for Australia, providing some permutation of a mid-size SUV or a ute.
Now, yet one more Chinese language model is throwing its hat into the ring and it plans to sort out a barely much less cluttered a part of our extraordinarily cluttered market.
The Firefly model, owned by impartial (ie: not state-owned) Chinese language electrical automobile (EV) producer Nio, is nearing an area launch with its eponymous electrical hatchback, so far its solely automobile. Its international rollout commenced in 2025.
Firefly’s debut mannequin is pitched as a quasi-premium gentle hatchback, priced greater in Europe than the equally sized BYD Dolphin Surf – a price range hatch that’s launching in Australia because the Atto 1 and sporting the bottom price ticket of any EV on our market.
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Nonetheless, there’s nonetheless one roadblock in the way in which: the model has but to lock in a distributor. Work remains to be underway to search out one.
“We’re in energetic discussions with potential native importers and distributors, and we goal to speed up these conversations to make sure a compliant, mature, and sustainable market entry,” a Nio spokesperson advised CarExpert.
Among the many quite a few Chinese language manufacturers presently supplied in Australia, a handful are imported and bought by a third-party distributor as a substitute of a factory-backed operation.
These embrace Deepal and Foton (Inchcape) and Xpeng (True EV).
“Now firefly is conducting street checks in Australia as a part of our international security testing and product validation course of,” the spokesperson continued.
“Quickly, we are going to end the required crash and security testing in Australia. Our objective is to develop into the primary small automobile to efficiently meet the security ranking requirements of China, Europe, and Australia.”
The Firefly has already been assessed by Euro NCAP, which gave it a five-star ranking this yr. It acquired a powerful grownup occupant safety rating of 96 per cent, in addition to scores of 87 per cent, 82 per cent and 86 per cent, respectively, for youngster occupant safety, susceptible street person safety, and security help.
“On the product aspect, the right-hand-drive model of firefly is already prepared, with a number of configurations designed to fulfill the varied wants of consumers in Australia,” the spokesperson added.
“The continuing checks and validation work in Australia are all necessary steps as we transfer towards an official market entry.
“We’ll proceed to advance the related processes and can share additional updates with the media and the general public as quickly as extra concrete timing turns into out there.”
In August, the Firefly appeared in Australian Authorities approval paperwork, clearing it on the market in our market.
This adopted native trademark filings made for the Firefly model over the previous couple of years, in addition to affirmation from Nio earlier this yr that it might launch the model within the right-hand drive Singaporean market in 2026.
There’s only one powertrain that’s been permitted on the market in Australia, throughout two variants. This contains a single electrical motor producing 105kW of energy, sending drive to the rear wheels.
The Firefly measures 4003mm lengthy, 1781mm vast and 1557mm tall on a 2615mm wheelbase.
That makes it 53mm longer and 86mm wider than a Toyota Yaris on a 65mm longer wheelbase.
No matter its particular dimensions, the Firefly might discover itself cross-shopped in opposition to different electrical hatchbacks together with the bigger BYD Dolphin, MG 4 and GWM Ora.
Whereas specification particulars are restricted in authorities approval paperwork, we are able to look to the European market – particularly the Dutch and Norwegian markets – for extra particulars.
Within the Netherlands, the Firefly vary opens at €29,900 (~A$53,300) for the First Version – round €7000 greater than the equally sized BYD Dolphin Surf.
There’s solely a 105kW/200Nm electrical motor out there, powered by a 41.2kWh battery with as much as 330km of WLTP electrical vary.
Power consumption is 14.5kWh/100km, additionally below the WLTP cycle, whereas it may be charged at as much as 11kW on AC energy and 100kW utilizing DC energy.
There’s additionally 3.68kW vehicle-to-load (V2L) charging functionality, permitting you to energy electrical home equipment, in addition to a one-pedal drive mode.
The Firefly options MacPherson strut entrance and five-link rear suspension.
The outside lighting is quirky, with three round lights on both aspect of the automobile, each entrance and rear. The headlights are LED and have adaptive high-beam.
Inside, there’s a 6.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
There’s 256-colour ambient lighting, a digital rear-view mirror, semi-autonomous parking help, and a 14-speaker 640W sound system with Dolby Atmos.
The seats and door panels are completed in 100 per cent recycled polyester, with the entrance seats that includes heating as customary.
The highest grade additionally provides ventilated, massaging and power-adjustable entrance seats in addition to microfibre upholstery.
It additionally receives a panoramic glass roof, power-folding exterior mirrors, a perfume system, wi-fi cellphone charger and an influence tailgate.
Storage may be discovered below the rear seat cushions, whereas the shortage of a standard centre console means you’ll be able to enter the entrance of the automobile from both aspect to achieve the driving force’s seat.
Normal security gear consists of autonomous emergency braking (ahead and reverse), blind-spot monitoring together with a digital camera view, adaptive cruise management, lane-keep help, secure exit warning and visitors signal recognition.
There’s 404 litres of cargo area on the again, increasing to 1253L with the rear seats dropped. There’s additionally 92L of storage below the bonnet.
Firefly isn’t the one spinoff model of Nio. Along with debuting Firefly final yr, it additionally launched Onvo, a extra inexpensive, family-focused counterpart to Nio’s namesake model with a give attention to the European market.
Nio has filed to guard the Onvo nameplate right here, in addition to ‘L60’ – used on the model’s debut mannequin, a medium-to-large electrical coupe SUV.
It’s unclear whether or not Nio plans to deliver its so-called battery-as-a-service (BaaS) providing over from China.
This sees homeowners successfully lease battery entry and have the power to drive to a battery swapping station.
MORE: Quirky Firefly electrical hatch from China’s Nio nears Australian launch
