Photos: dpa
BERLIN: Nomi is getting a baby sister.In other words the amiable dashboard avatar from Nio's upmarket ET5, EL6 and ET9 models will be available in its next small electric vehicle, the Firefly.
Nio is pushing this boutique sub-brand in Europe as part of its wider global expansion plans and the car gets the Lumo assistant which is a scaled-down version of the award-winning Nomi.
Designed primarily at a European development headquarters in Munich, the Firefly plans to light up the urban jungle market from the end of this year at the earliest, with prices starting at around €30,000 (RM149,200).
The price ticket makes it almost exactly twice as expensive to buy in Europe as in China.
The manufacturer justifies the hike by giving it a premium interior and boosting the specification.
It also blames the EU's prohibitive import duties for inflating the purchase price.
Pay your money and you get a four metre-long five-door car which has charm and character with its unmistakeable beady headlamp eyes and pleasing lines.
Thanks to its wheelbase of 2.62 metres, the Firefly is surprisingly spacious inside.
Adults can still perch comfortably in the second row although these seats may prove a tad cramped on longer trips.
The frunk under the front hatch can take 92 litres which is unrivalled in this class.
The two dozen storage compartments spread around the cabin even include two practical ones under the seat squabs.
These are the size of shoe boxes and can be used to store valuables or other items which should be kept out of sight.
The interior has a high-value feel to it and some features rarely found in this price class such as air-conditioned seats and an electric tailgate.
The all-round cameras are a neat touch and make parking easier.
Most of the usual driver assistant systems are commonplace, but it is good to have them on board.
The Firefly will buzz along happily but with only 105kW/143hp and 200Nm, the power unit is on the weaker side, especially for an electric car.
The dash to 100kph from a standstill takes 8.1 seconds and the car runs out of urge at 150kph.
But what this car lacks in dynamics, is made up for by its extraordinary agility.
By placing the motor at the rear engineers have given the Firefly the best turning circle in its class.
The car is a breeze to park too and is sure-footed on narrow city streets where even a MINI needs a more cautious hand.
The Firefly is no bundle of energy however, and like many manufacturers in this segment, the Chinese have limited themselves to a battery that not only uses cheaper LFP cells, but is also fairly small at 41.2kWh.
The charging rate of 11kW on alternating current is common but a maximum of 100kW on fast charge is not state of the art.
The Firefly does, however, support battery swap, which means it can be bought with a BaaS (battery as a service) rental option that keeps the price down.
A fresh set of cells can be swapped in in just three minutes.
Neo has only set up 50 battery swap stations in Europe, however, with more than half located in Germany and Norway.
That makes them pretty scarce which will no doubt deter some potential buyers.
To sum up, the Firefly is distinctive, offers a lot of space for its size and is fun to drive in city traffic.
These plus points could make the Firefly one of the MINI's fiercest competitors – until it comes to charging that is.
