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NIO built its name on premium electric cars and battery swapping — pulling into a station and driving out minutes later with a full pack. Firefly is its compact, city-minded line, and it trades the corporate look for something with far more character.

At Cars&TechSG we've driven the Firefly on local roads: a four-metre Cat A hatchback with a 92L frunk, Dolby Atmos audio and a five-star Euro NCAP rating. Every review is honest, and aimed at buyers who want the real picture before they commit.

Cat ACOE category
320kmClaimed range
29 minDC 10–80%
5★Euro NCAP
NIO1 Reviewed

Models We've Tested

NIO's compact city EV, driven on local roads.

NIO Firefly compact electric hatchback New · Full Review
⚡ Compact Electric Hatch · Cat A · RWD

NIO Firefly

A rear-wheel-drive city car around four metres long, with a single motor making 105kW (141bhp) and 205Nm. The 42kWh LFP battery claims 320km at 6.5km/kWh, DC charging covers 10–80% in about 29 minutes, and the car also supports NIO's battery swapping. Inside there's a 13.2-inch touchscreen, a slim 6-inch cluster, 14-speaker Dolby Atmos audio and 256-colour interactive ambient lighting.

141bhp105kW
8.1s0–100km/h
320kmClaimed range
Read the review →

What Stands Out

Why the Firefly is worth a look in the Cat A bracket.

🔋

Battery Swapping

Supports NIO's swap technology, exchanging a flat pack for a full one in minutes where stations exist.

🧳

404L Boot + 92L Frunk

Boot space stretches to 1,253L with the seats folded, and the frunk swallows cables and small bags.

🔊

Dolby Atmos Audio

A 14-speaker Dolby Atmos system and 256-colour interactive ambient lighting in a compact hatchback.

🛡️

5-Star Euro NCAP

Full marks in Euro NCAP testing, which small cars have historically found hard to achieve.

Firefly At A Glance

The numbers from our review.

105kWPower (141bhp)
205NmTorque
8.1s0–100km/h
150km/hTop speed
42kWhLFP battery
6.5km per kWh
404LBoot (+92L frunk)
13.2"Touchscreen

Figures from our NIO Firefly review. DC charging covers 10–80% in about 29 minutes; the car is roughly 4,000mm long.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions from buyers researching NIO — answered from real driving experience.

What is NIO, and where does the Firefly fit in?
NIO is a Chinese electric-car maker known for its premium models and for battery swapping — driving into a station and having a depleted pack exchanged for a full one instead of waiting at a charger. Firefly is its compact, city-focused line, and the Firefly hatchback is a deliberate change of tone: smaller, friendlier and aimed at younger urban buyers rather than executives.
Is the NIO Firefly a Cat A car?
Yes. Our review lists it under Category A, and its single rear motor produces 105kW (141bhp), comfortably within the 110kW Cat A ceiling. That makes it one of the more accessible ways into an EV on COE grounds.
What range does the NIO Firefly have, and how fast does it charge?
NIO claims 320km from the 42kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery, with efficiency quoted at 6.5km/kWh. DC charging covers 10–80% in about 29 minutes. The Firefly also supports NIO's battery swapping technology, which is the other way to top up quickly where stations are available.
What is battery swapping?
Instead of plugging in and waiting, the car drives into a swap station and an automated system exchanges the depleted battery for a charged one. It takes minutes rather than half an hour. The catch is that it only works where swap stations exist, so it's a bonus rather than a reason on its own to buy the car — day to day you'll still be charging at home or at a public charger.
Is the Firefly practical for its size?
Surprisingly so for a car around four metres long. The boot holds 404L, expanding to 1,253L with the rear seats folded, and there's a 92L frunk under the bonnet for cables. It also carries a five-star Euro NCAP rating.
What's the Firefly's cabin like?
Better equipped than the size suggests: a 13.2-inch HD touchscreen, a slim 6-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14-speaker Dolby Atmos sound system and 256-colour interactive ambient lighting. Our review sums the car up as cute, funky and easy to live with — personality first, rather than outright pace.

All NIO Reviews

NIO FIREFLY Review

06/05/2026

The arrival of the Firefly marks a bold new chapter for NIO, introducing a compact electric hatchback that feels refreshingly different from the usual serious-looking EVs on the road. Designed to appeal to younger urban drivers and style-conscious buyers, the Firefly combines quirky design, clever practicality and easy everyday usability into one...