NIO Day 2024 recap: Firefly’s first EV will compete with MINI and Smart, ET9 launches on a 925V platform
As promised, we are back with a full recap of the debuts during NIO Day 2024, which took place over the weekend. As anticipated, NIO officially launched its new Firefly sub-brand, unveiling its flagship BEV model that looks to take on super compacts like MINI and Smart. Additionally, NIO launched its ultra-luxe ET9 sedan, whose initial trim has already sold out in China.
Last week, we published a little primer ahead of Chinese EV automaker NIO’s annual event. We get plenty of exciting news from NIO throughout the year, but no event is more likely to include landmark announcements than its annual NIO Day event, held every December.
We expected two big debuts at this year’s NIO Day, which took place in Guangzhou, in the Guangdong province of China, on December 21. First was the official launch of NIO’s third EV brand, Firefly, and the first public look at its flagship model.
Additionally, NIO Day 2024 was expected to bring the official launch of the automaker’s latest flagship (and most expensive) model, the ET9, which debuted at last year’s NIO Day. Following the annual event, we can confirm both BEVs have been launched and have much better insight into their pricing, specs, and availability in global markets.
Firefly launches at NIO Day 2024 with a premium small car
As anticipated, NIO officially launched its second sub-brand and third overall BEV brand at NIO Day 2024, which marked the opening of presales of Firefly’s flagship model, which shares the same name. The premium boutique small car arrives in China priced at RMB 148,800 ($20,390), the same as the discounted electric Mini Cooper.
BMW’s MINI brand and Mercedes-Benz’s Smart appear to be clear competitors to the new Firefly brand. NIO founder William Li explained that the new BEV is smaller than a Smart car and smarter than a MINI. Like all NIO models, the Firefly BEV supports battery swaps, hinting that a battery-as-a-service (BaaS) rental purchase program may be offered when the model officially launches.
From its initial announcement, NIO promised that Firefly would deliver affordable EVs to global markets, including Europe. The launch of the model above will begin in China in April 2025, followed by Europe shortly after. Per Li, Firefly will rely on local partner outlets for European sales, starting sometime in the first half of 2025.
In addition to the debut of the Firefly BEV, NIO Day 2024 also marked the official launch of the new ET9 sedan, which appears to be a hit right out of the gate.
NIO ET9 starts at $108k, deliveries to begin in March
While it’s welcomed news, it should be no surprise that the new ET9 sedan launched during NIO Day 2024. The launch presentation included our first look at the ET9 inside and out. Check out that image of the back seat above. Clearly, NIO is targeting the executive market worldwide and taking some cues from Maybach.
German automakers should be sweating a little as NIO appears to be looking to compete against them high and low with Firefly and now the ET9. We’ve confirmed that the ET9 starts at an MSRP of RMB 788,000 ($108,000), including the battery. That’s slightly lower than the RMB 800,000 presale price announced during the model’s unveiling at NIO Day 2023.
That $108k price tag applies to the NIO ET9’s standard trim, but the automaker will also sell a BaaS version that starts at RMB 660,000 ($90,420). Owners pay a monthly battery rental fee of RMB 1,128 ($155).
During the launch at NIO Day 2024, the automaker debuted a limited launch edition trim of the ET9 with a starting price of RMB 818,000 ($112,065), which includes the battery. At the time, NIO said it would only build 999 units of the limited edition ET9, and according to media outlet CnEVPost, all of them had been spoken for in China in less than 24 hours, exceeding sales expectations.
Customers will now have to settle for the super plush Standard trim. How sad. Here are some of the ET9’s specs from NIO Day 2024 at a glance:
- Four-seat sedan with dimensions of 5,325 mm in length, 2,017 mm in width, and 1,621 mm in height. Its wheelbase is 3,250 mm.
- It’s the first model to feature NIO’s in-house designed 5 nm process-based Shenji NX9031 autonomous driving chip.
- Shenji is equivalent to four mainstream smart driving chips, and the ET9 is equipped with two.
- Includes a SkyRide intelligent chassis system, described as the “world’s first integrated hydraulic fully active suspension.” We saw it in action last summer.
- Steer-by-wire (SBW) technology enables the steering wheel and wheels to be completely decoupled, offering higher levels of intelligent driving.
- 925V platform (better than the 900V architecture initially announced) enables better performance and faster charge rates.
- 100 kWh battery pack that delivers a (CLTC) range of 650 km (404 miles).
- Dual electric motors with a peak power of 180 kW at the front and 340 kW at the rear.
- The powertrain combines for a maximum power output of 520 kW and a peak torque of 700 Nm.
- Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.3 seconds.
- 105-liter frunk cargo capacity.
Deutsche Bank anticipates NIO’s sales of both the Firely EV and the ET9 sedan to reach 1,500 units per month, setting the stage for another big year of growth in 2025. The automaker concluded NIO Day 2024 by stating that initial deliveries of the ET9 are expected to begin in China in March 2025, starting with the sold-out limited edition mentioned above.
While this will be a new BEV for the global market, NIO has yet to offer a timeline as to when sales and deliveries of the ET9 will begin in Europe. We anticipate sometime in 2025 after deliveries begin in China. Another NIO Day is in the books in 2024 as we look ahead to a big year in 2025!
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Wisconsin is getting another boost in DC fast charging thanks to $14 million in recovered federal grants for 26 sites statewide. The funding comes through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, part of President Joe Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
The award follows a legal battle earlier this year, when Governor Tony Evers (D-WI) joined other states in a lawsuit to force the Trump Administration to release over $60 million that Wisconsin was owed from the NEVI Formula Program. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration’s illegal attempt to obstruct the NEVI program in June, clearing the way for planned NEVI EV charging projects to continue.
This round of sites fills in EV charging station coverage gaps following the initial awards announced in May 2024. Round one granted $22.4 million for 52 projects; 11 of those chargers are already online, and another 16 have been cleared for construction.
Across both award rounds, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) has now allocated more than $36.4 million toward 78 total projects. The first NEVI-backed fast charging stations opened earlier this year at Kwik Trip stores in Ashland, Menomonie, and Chippewa Falls.
The 26 new charging stations will be built along Wisconsin’s Alternative Fuel Corridor and sited at convenience stores, restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, and other travel stops. They’ll service the more than 37,000 EV drivers registered in the state, as well as road‑trippers and visitors, and will have a minimum of 150 kW per port.
Round two awardees include Tesla, Kwik Trip, and Universal EV. A full list of the 26 fast charging locations can be found here.
If you’re looking to replace your old HVAC equipment, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you’re finding a trusted, reliable HVAC installer near you that offers competitive pricing on heat pumps, check out EnergySage. EnergySage is a free service that makes it easy for you to get a heat pump. They have pre-vetted heat pump installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high quality solutions. Plus, it’s free to use!
Your personalized heat pump quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here. – *ad
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Tesla reported three more crashes involving its Robotaxis in Austin, Texas – now bringing the total to 7 incidents despite low mileage and in-car supervisors preventing more accidents.
Since the launch of the ‘Robotaxi’ service in Austin, Texas, where Tesla moved the supervisor from the driver’s seat to the passenger seat, it now has to report crashes to NHTSA.
In the first month of operation in July, Tesla reported three crashes with its Robotaxi service.
The automaker reported one more Robotaxi crash last month, and this one was interesting because it coincided with Tesla announcing that the Robotaxi fleet had traveled 250,000 miles from its launch in late June to early November.
It revealed Tesla’s current Robotaxi crash rate, which is about 2x higher than Waymo’s, despite in-car supervisors that prevent an unknown number of crashes.
Now, Tesla has reported to NHTSA three more incidents that happened with the Robotaxi fleet in Austin in September:
| Report ID | Incident Date | Incident Time (24:00) | City State | Crash With | Highest Injury | Severity | Alleged SV | Pre-Crash Movement | CP Pre-Crash Movement | Narrative |
| 13781-1178 | 7 SEP-2025 | 13:08 | Austin TX | Animal | No Injured | Reported | Stopped | NM Crossing Roadway | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] | |
| 13781-1178 | 6 SEP-2025 | 03:43 | Austin TX | Non-Motorist: Cyclist | Property Damage. | No Injured | Reported | Stopped | Moving Alongside Roadway | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
| 13781-1178 | 4 SEP-2025 | 20:42 | Austin TX | Passenger Car | Property Damage. | No Injured | Reported | Proceeding Straight | Backing | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
| 13781-1168 | 7 SEP-2025 | 01:25 | Austin TX | Other Fixed Object | Property Damage. | No Injured | Reported | Making Left Turn | NaN | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
| 13781-1150 | 7 JUL-2025 | 03:45 | Austin TX | SUV | Property Damage. | No Injured | Reported | Stopped | Proceeding Straight | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
| 13781-1145 | 9 JUL-2025 | 12:20 | Austin TX | Other Fixed Object | Minor | W/O Hospit | alization | Other, see Narrative | NaN | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
| 13781-1137 | 5 JUL-2025 | 15:15 | Austin TX | SUV | Property Damage. | No Injured | Reported | Making Right Turn | Making Right Turn | [REDACTED, MAY CONTAIN CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS INFORMATION] |
Unlike other companies reporting to NHTSA, Tesla abuses the right to redact data reported through the system. The automaker redacts the “narrative” for each reported crash, preventing the public from knowing how the crashes happened and who is responsible.
Based on the limited information in Tesla’s reports, we know that one of the new crashes involved a Robotaxi driving into a car backing up, another involved a cyclist, and the last one involved an unknown animal.
Electrek’s Take
My favorite thing about reporting on those is the messages from Tesla fans who say: You don’t know how many of those Robotaxi are responsible for?
It’s funny because I agree, but whose fault is that? Tesla could do like every other company and report the narratives.
Waymo does, and it’s clear that it isn’t responsible for many of the crashes they are involved in. I am sure that’s the case with some of those Tesla Robotaxi crashes.
However, Waymo has hundreds of millions of rider-only autonomous miles, and Tesla has a few hundred thousand, all with a supervisor on board, a finger on a killswitch, ready to prevent further crashes. Who knows how many more crashes Tesla would have had without them?
I expect a few because humans generally have a crash, whether they are at fault or not, every 700,000 miles. Tesla has 7 in probably ~300,000 miles, which should be worrying to anyone, whether the Robotaxis were responsible or not.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Hyundai is bringing “something big” to the LA Auto Show this week, and the teaser points to a slick new off-road electric SUV. Here’s our first look.
What is this off-road Hyundai SUV?
The LA Auto Show is just days away, and Hyundai is gearing up to steal the spotlight once again. Last year, it was the IONIQ 9, Hyundai’s first three-row electric SUV. What will it be this year?
Hyundai gave us a sneak peek of a new “extreme off-road show vehicle,” the Crater Concept, ahead of its upcoming debut.
Although details are still pretty slim at this point, the sketch shows a high-riding, rugged SUV, clearly designed for off-roading with massive tires and aggressive wheel arches.
Hyundai didn’t say what powertrain the off-road SUV will use, but given the closed-off grille and no visible tailpipes, all signs point to it being electric in some way. It could be a battery-electric (EV) or even a fuel-cell-electric vehicle (FCEV).
The Crater Concept looks a bit like the new Nexo, Hyundai’s dedicated hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. The updated Nexo introduces Hyundai’s new “Art of Steel” design language, which was first shown on the Concept THREE electric hot hatch in September.
Hyundai said the design theme “combines resilience with artistic form,” which exudes strength and sophistication.
The dour dot lamps on the Crater Concept look about the same as Hyundai’s new “HTWO” lamps, exclusive to its FCEVs.
Hyundai said the Crater Concept has been “crafted to amplify the same spirit and robustness found in Hyundai’s XRT production vehicles,” like the IONIQ 5 XRT, Santa Cruz XRT, and new Pallisade XRT Pro.
The design team at Hyundai Design North America also introduced its new design and ideation studio on Monday, codenamed “The Sandbox” internally.
Hyundai’s new creative hub is exclusively dedicated to creating new outdoor adventure vehicles and rugged Xtreme Rugged Terrain (XRT) gear.
Will the Nexo be next? It sure looks like it. Hyundai will reveal the Crater Concept during a livestream press conference at the LA Auto Show on November 20 at 9:45 am PT. Check back for updates.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports2 years agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports3 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Sports3 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment1 year agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024