2026 Nio Firefly EV signed off for Australia

The all-new 2025 Nio Firefly has been green-lit for Australia. The small EV hatch has successfully achieved Australian Design Rule certification (ADR), but the pioneering Chinese EV start-up has yet to officially announce the brand's arrival.

The arrival of the Nio Firefly has taken one giant leap forward after the small MINI Cooper Electric rival was signed off for sale by federal authorities.

Already spotted testing by carsales back in June, Nio has also prepared the ground with trademark filings.

But despite positive pronouncements at the Shanghai show in April, there's still no word when the pioneering Chinese EV start-up plans to press go on Australian sales.

However, when it does arrive the small hatch is expected to mirror Dutch pricing.

There, the Firefly starts from the equivalent of  just $35,000 plus on-roads, which makes it more expensive than a BYD Dolphin ($29,990 plus ORCs) but far less than the MINI Cooper SE ($58,990).

Currently, just one Firefly has been offered for export powered by a 105kW/200Nm single e-motor driving the rear axle.

That is combined with a 41.2kWh lithium iron phosphate battery that provides a range of up to 330km.

Off the line, the small Nio hatch accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.1 seconds, while a 100kW DC charge equates to a 10 to 80 per cent top-up in 29 minutes.

Equipment levels are high. LED headlamps, a 13.2-inch infotainment, a 6.0-inch digital instrument panel, a 10-way adjustable driver's seat that is heated and ventilated and wrapped in faux leather are all standard.

Other onboard tech includes a 50-watt wireless charging pad, ambient lighting, a 14-speaker 640W sound system and driver assist tech including an auto-park feature.

A panoramic roof, power-fold mirrors, fragrance dispenser and electric tailgate also feature.

Unusually, for a small hatch, luggage space is also a highlight – with a 404 litre rear boot (expands to 1253L with rear seats dropped) combined with a 92L frunk.

It seems momentum is gathering fast for Nio's arrival Down Under. The Firefly hatch could be followed by the car-maker's Onvo line-up that includes a mid-size rival for the Tesla Model Y called the L60.

That combination could provide the volume needed to sustain Nio in an increasingly crowded marketplace.

Question marks hang over whether or not Nio has any plans to roll out its innovative battery swap tech here and how it will sell its cars locally. Rumours suggest a factory-backed sales operation could be on the cards.

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