Prepare for one more new Chinese language model in Australia, however this one is a bit totally different
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It looks like each month one other Chinese language model is introduced for Australia, providing some permutation of a mid-size SUV or a ute.
Now, one more Chinese language model is throwing its hat into the ring and it plans to deal with a barely much less cluttered a part of our extraordinarily cluttered market.
The Firefly model, owned by unbiased (ie: not state-owned) Chinese language electrical car (EV) producer Nio, is nearing an area launch with its eponymous electrical hatchback, so far its solely car. Its international rollout commenced in 2025.
Firefly’s debut mannequin is pitched as a quasi-premium gentle hatchback, priced larger in Europe than the equally sized BYD Dolphin Surf – a finances hatch that’s launching in Australia because the Atto 1 and carrying the bottom price ticket of any EV on our market.
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Nevertheless, there’s nonetheless one roadblock in the best way: the model has but to lock in a distributor. Work continues to be underway to search out one.
“We’re in lively discussions with potential native importers and distributors, and we purpose to speed up these conversations to make sure a compliant, mature, and sustainable market entry,” a Nio spokesperson informed CarExpert.
Among the many quite a few Chinese language manufacturers at the moment provided in Australia, a handful are imported and offered by a third-party distributor as an alternative of a factory-backed operation.
These embody Deepal and Foton (Inchcape) and Xpeng (True EV).
“Now firefly is conducting street exams in Australia as a part of our international security testing and product validation course of,” the spokesperson continued.
“Quickly, we’ll end the required crash and security testing in Australia. Our objective is to turn into the primary small car 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 12 months. It obtained 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 baby occupant safety, weak 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 satisfy the various wants of shoppers in Australia,” the spokesperson added.
“The continuing exams and validation work in Australia are all necessary steps as we transfer towards an official market entry.
“We are going to 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 12 months that it will launch the model within the right-hand drive Singaporean market in 2026.
There’s only one powertrain that’s been authorized 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 large 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 could 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 will 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.
Vitality consumption is 14.5kWh/100km, additionally underneath 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 car, 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 normal.
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 will be discovered underneath the rear seat cushions, whereas the shortage of a standard centre console means you possibly can enter the entrance of the car from both aspect to achieve the motive force’s seat.
Normal security tools consists of autonomous emergency braking (ahead and reverse), blind-spot monitoring together with a digicam view, adaptive cruise management, lane-keep help, protected exit warning and site 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 underneath the bonnet.
Firefly isn’t the one spinoff model of Nio. Along with debuting Firefly final 12 months, it additionally launched Onvo, a extra reasonably priced, family-focused counterpart to Nio’s namesake model with a deal with 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 house owners 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
