NIO president confirms its more affordable Firefly sub-brand will enter Europe in 2025
In a recent interview with media in Europe, NIO co-founder and president Lihong Qin confirmed the Chinese automaker intends to launch its family-friendly Firefly sub-brand in the market in 2025. This latest update follows nearly two years of speculation about the Firefly brand, in addition to a separate NIO sub-brand called Alps, both of which should join the EU markets.
It was mid-2021 when EV automaker NIO publicly shared its intentions to expand to new markets outside China, beginning with Germany. Since then, we’ve seen the company start selling its EV models across the Netherlands, Sweden, and Denmark alongside proprietary battery swap stations to support its unique business model.
Around that same time, NIO confirmed that a second, more affordable sub-brand was in the works to sell smaller EVs in China and Europe – its codename is “Alps,” and last we heard, was scheduled to launch in mid-2024.
Last October, NIO co-founder and President, Lihong Qin, shared more details of the Alps sub-brand, relayiong that the automaker does in fact intend to launch in Europe next year, beginning in markets like Spain and France due to higher sales of smaller, mass-market vehicles.
During this time, we wondered if NIO’s rumored third brand, codenamed “Himalaya” but also called “Firefly,” would join Alps in Europe. Following a recent interview in Europe, NIO’s president has confirmed as much… but we won’t see the cost-friendly sub-brand across the pond until 2025.
NIO’s Firefly launches in 2025, will we see Alps in 2024?
According to recent comments from Lihong Qin to Reuters, NIO’s affordable Firefly brand will, in fact, launch in Europe in 2025. While Qin did not share expected EV pricing, he did share that Firefly EVs will be smaller and designed with families in mind.
When we first reported NIO’s plans for the Firefly brand, it was rumored to be targeting models in the RMB 100,000-200,000 price range ($14k-$28k). The NIO President compared the tiered branding strategy to Toyota/Lexus, Honda/Acura, covering multiple segments and price points.
With confirmed plans to launch in Europe, it appears Firefly will emerge as NIO’s base-level EV sub-brand, with Alps positioned between the two. We’ve previously reported that NIO is targeting a price range of RMB 200,000-300,000 ($28-$42k) for its Alps EVs, which appear to be further ahead in development than Firefly.
For comparison, NIO brand EVs are currently priced between 50,000 and 91,000 euros and are positioned in Europe’s premium segment amongst brands like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
The automaker has previously stated its NIO, Alps, and Firefly marques will all operate independently with their own R&D pipelines and core teams, presumedly based out of China. Interestingly, Qin’s recent conversations with the European media included no mention of the Alps sub-brand, just Firefly.
Regardless, we should see an Alps launch in Europe by Q3 2024, with Firefly to follow sometime in 2025.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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