Firefly, the compact EV sub-brand of NIO Inc. (NYSE: NIO), will hold an upgrade launch event on April 7 at 7:00 pm Beijing time, marking its first product revision since deliveries began in late April 2025.

Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filings published in November 2025 confirmed that the updated model will switch to a new TZ160S012 electric motor produced by NIO Power Technology's Xinqiao branch, raising peak output to 120 kW (161 hp) from the current 105 kW (141 hp) — a 15 kW (20 hp) gain.

Firefly side view (Firefly)

The car's body shell is carried over unchanged at 4,003 mm long, 1,781 mm wide, and 1,557 mm tall on a 2,615 mm wheelbase. Pre-launch reporting from Chinese automotive media citing the MIIT filing indicates the brand is targeting a CLTC range of more than 500 km (311 miles), compared with the current model's 420 km (261 miles).

Beyond the motor and range improvement, the upgrade also brings Firefly onto NIO's fifth-generation battery swap network, which is scheduled to begin a pilot rollout in May 2026. NIO confirmed that Firefly will use its own swap infrastructure rather than CATL's Chocolate battery swap system, as the two are mechanically incompatible — Firefly uses liquid-cooled battery packs while CATL's system is air-cooled.

Under NIO's Battery-as-a-Service plan, separating the battery from the purchase price reduces upfront cost by approximately 40,000 CNY (c. $5,800). The upgrade also brings more than 70 software optimisations, including a Flash Knock function that allows drivers to open the front trunk by tapping it twice electronically. Firefly added that existing owners will be offered paid retrofit options covering both the motor and battery upgrades.

The revision comes as Firefly recovers from a difficult start to 2026. Deliveries fell to 2,807 units in January and 2,657 in February — the brand's second-worst monthly result since its first full month of deliveries in May 2025 — weighed down by the Chinese New Year holiday and the end of purchase subsidies. March staged a sharp reversal: Firefly recorded 6,119 deliveries, its second-best monthly result and a 130% sequential gain, representing more registrations than January and February combined.

First-quarter deliveries totalled 11,583 units. Cumulative deliveries crossed 50,000 on March 28, eleven months after first handovers took place. Brand chief Daniel Jin, who had publicly acknowledged a "considerable" shortfall against expectations, has set a monthly target of 6,000 to 6,500 units from the second quarter onward and is maintaining a goal of 100,000 cumulative deliveries by year-end.

The April 7 event follows a recognition milestone for the brand. On April 2, Firefly was named the 2026 World Urban Car of the Year at the New York International Auto Show, chosen by a panel of 98 automotive journalists. It was the first World Car Award for NIO and Firefly, underscoring the model's qualification across markets on two continents.

Firefly rear view (Firefly)

The current Firefly EV is priced from 119,800 CNY (c. $17,400) with the battery included in China, or from 79,800 CNY (c. $11,600) under the BaaS plan with a monthly battery fee of 399 CNY (c. $58). The model has expanded into Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Austria, Portugal, Luxembourg, Singapore, Thailand, and Costa Rica, with Australia, New Zealand, and the UK targeted for 2026.

NIO founder William Li has written internally that "globally, it is Firefly, Onvo, Nio" — positioning Firefly as the group's international spearhead. Pricing for the upgraded model has not been announced ahead of the event.

Whether the April 7 refresh is enough to put Firefly on a monthly run-rate that reaches 100,000 cumulative deliveries by December may ultimately depend on how the battery swap rollout proceeds and how pricing is set for the new variant.

Conversion rate: 1 USD = 6.88 CNY as of April 4, 2026