Source: Firefly

NIO founder, chairman and CEO William Li revealed at a user event that the Firefly compact electric vehicle will in future be equipped with a battery pack delivering at least 50% more capacity over its current 42 kWh version, pushing capacity to beyond 63 kWh and raising its CLTC range from 420 km (~261 miles) to over 600 km.

William also confirmed the Firefly will not support CATL’s “Chocolate” battery-swap system because the vehicle uses liquid-cooled battery technology, which is incompatible with the air-cooled design of the Chocolate system. In contrast, Firefly will rely exclusively on NIO’s new fifth-generation battery-swap stations scheduled for large-scale deployment in the first half of next year.

The Firefly was officially launched on April 19, 2023, with a price range of ¥119,800–125,800 (c. $16,900–17,700). Within five months of launch, deliveries surpassed 20,000 units, demonstrating strong demand in the A0-class EV segment.

Source: Firefly

In October 2025, NIO achieved a monthly delivery record of 40,397 vehicles, up 92.6% year-over-year; Firefly contributed 5,912 units. The broader NIO brand accounted for 17,143 units and ONVO brand 17,342 units.

Current Firefly measures 4,003 × 1,781 × 1,557 mm (length, width and height) with a wheelbase of 2,615 mm, a rear-mounted 105 kW permanent-magnet synchronous motor delivering 200 N·m of torque, and a top speed of 150 km/h (~93 mph).

The battery is a 42.1 kWh LFP pack, with energy consumption of ~12 kWh/100 km and fast-charging capability to 80% in about 30 minutes. The model supports only NIO’s swap-station ecosystem (liquid-cooling).

The upcoming 63+ kWh battery version may increase curb weight slightly, but NIO expects to maintain current performance through chassis and motor tuning. The decision to remain incompatible with CATL’s Chocolate swap system reflects fundamentally different thermal‐management systems: liquid cooling (NIO) versus air cooling (CATL), as well as variations in pack structure and communication protocols.

The upgrade signals NIO’s strategy to emphasise its proprietary battery-swap network and cater to long-range urban commuters and intercity users, while bypassing the open-standard swap network expansion pursued by CATL.

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