Nio to launch 60-kWh battery pack for Firefly EV on October 23, offering 560 km CLTC range

• Firefly currently offers only a 42.1-kWh battery pack. The new pack will deliver a CLTC range of 560 kilometers.
• The new pack will be available as an upgrade for new and existing owners, with details to be announced on October 23.

Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) will launch a 60-kWh battery pack for its small electric vehicle brand Firefly on October 23, offering new and existing owners a larger-capacity battery option.

Pu Yang, Firefly's head of brand marketing, disclosed the plan at a user gathering in Zhengzhou, Henan province, on Friday, according to a video shared by Weibo blogger Arthur Shen.

The 60-kWh pack is a long-life battery from CATL (HKEX: 3750) that will give Firefly a range of 560 kilometers, Pu said.

The pack will be available to both new and existing Firefly owners, with details to be announced at the October 23 launch event, Pu added.

Firefly supports battery swapping and currently offers only a 42.1-kWh battery pack. The larger option will expand the small EV's suitability for longer trips beyond its core urban commuting use.

Upgrades to the 60-kWh pack by customers who purchased the standard-range Firefly could also generate additional revenue for Nio Inc.

The 42.1-kWh pack uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, while the 60-kWh pack is expected to use ternary lithium chemistry to provide more capacity within the same dimensions.

The upgrade will give Firefly a choice of battery capacities, bringing it in line with the group's 2 other brands. The Nio main brand currently offers 75-kWh and 100-kWh packs, while Onvo offers 60-kWh and 85-kWh packs.

The battery upgrade plan follows Firefly's integration into Nio's battery swap network. On August 7, Nio began operating its first fifth-generation swap stations in 7 cities, supporting Firefly vehicles for the first time.

Firefly had been unable to use Nio's fourth-generation stations because of its shorter body and wheelbase. The fifth-generation stations allow vehicles from all 3 brands — Nio, Onvo and Firefly — to share these facilities.

The product update also comes as Firefly's deliveries grow. The brand said Friday that a ceremony marking its 90,000th vehicle delivery was held in Zhengzhou, about 1.5 months after it reached the 80,000-vehicle milestone at the end of August.

Firefly delivered a record 7,327 vehicles in September, up 26.9% year-on-year and 25.2% from August, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

In the first 9 months of this year, Firefly delivered 48,122 vehicles, accounting for 16.02% of Nio Inc's total deliveries and supporting the group's expansion into the small-car market.