The Nio’s Firefly EV right-hand drive (RHD) will enter the UK and Thailand markets in 2026 as the Chinese automaker pushes global sales outside China and Europe. Other priority markets for the Firefly EV include Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
The Firefly EV from Nio was launched in China on April 19, 2025. Its price range lies between 119,800 and 125,800 yuan (16,850 – 17,700 USD). This BEV is also available domestically with the Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) plan, slicing the car’s price by 30% to 79,800 yuan (11,230 USD). According to China EV DataTracker, Nio delivered 26,009 units from April to October 2025 in China.
Previously, the Firefly EV entered Norway with a starting price of 279,900 NOK (27,500 USD) and the Netherlands & Belgium with a price of 29,900 EUR (34,950 USD). On November 18, Nio commenced mass production of the Firefly EV RHD, with the first units destined for Singapore. Next year, this model will start sales in Thailand and the UK.
Firefly EV in the UK & Thailand
Firefly CEO Daniel Jin told Reuters that the Firefly EV will enter the Thai and British markets in 2026, as the company aims to ramp up its efforts in countries without tariff barriers in the short term. We will remind you that the China-made Firefly EV suffers from an additional 31% import duty in the EU. Therefore, it is twice as expensive as in China.
Daniel Jin highlighted that other key RHD markets for the Firefly EV include Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. He shared that the sales pace of the Firefly EV would likely be slow in these regions as consumer trust needs to be built. The company is currently negotiating with the distributors. However, some companies regard Firefly as just another made-in-China EV.
In 2025, Nio registered 19 Firefly EVs in Norway, according to the Elbilstatistikk. Its sales performance in the EV-friendly country hints that this brand faces a difficult task of enhancing its credibility. In Singapore, the Firefly EV RHD will be positioned as a boutique small car, priced higher than the BYD Dolphin.
Briefly on Firefly EV
The Firefly EV is a small hatchback with distinguishing circular headlights. It has a blackened roof, retractable door handles, and short bumpers. Its dimensions are 4003/1781/1557 mm and a wheelbase of 2,615 mm. For clarity, the Firefly is 145 mm longer than the Spotlight Automotive-made Mini Cooper. Its interior has a 13.2-inch floating screen, a 6-inch LCD instrument panel, and 14 speakers.
The Firefly EV comes standard with a 105 kW (141 hp). This e-motor helps the Nio’s hatchback to speed up to 100 km/h in 8.2 seconds. Thanks to a 42.1 kWh battery, this EV can run up to 330 km on a single charge (WLTP conditions)
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