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!
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Environment
Genesis is reportedly launching a luxury G70 EV sports sedan — Here’s what we know so far
Word on the street is the Genesis G70 is going all-electric. The luxury sports sedan is due for a complete overhaul, including a new look and a fully electric powertrain. Here’s what we know about the Genesis G70 EV so far.
Is Genesis launching a G70 EV sports sedan?
Hyundai’s luxury Genesis brand already offers three fully electric vehicles (EVs): the GV60, the Electrified GV70 SUV, and the Electrified G80 sedan.
This year, all are getting significant updates, including a longer driving range, a refined interior and exterior design, and even more luxury.
Genesis isn’t stopping here. The luxury automaker has even bigger plans in the works. According to Korea’s MotorsJason, the luxury sports sedan will be completely redesigned. The report claims the next-gen Genesis G70 will be exclusively sold as an EV model.
After the Kia Stinger GT1 EV project was put on hold, its launch was finally confirmed. Now, attention has shifted to its sibling, the Genesis G70.
Although the G70 was reportedly being discontinued, and plans for a hybrid were also scrapped, Genesis could revive it as an EV to attract younger buyers to the brand.
The electric G70 could even earn a Magma performance model. The company’s product planning director said the G70 is an important car for younger buyers to experience the Genesis brand. He explained that the model’s future is being discussed every day on a global level, adding there’s still hope for the G70.
At 4,685 mm (184.4″) long, the 2025 Genesis G70 is about the size of a Tesla Model 3 (4,720 mm/ 185.8″). However, the electric G70 is expected to be slightly smaller and sportier. It’s expected to fill the gap with the Audi A5 coupe and convertible being discontinued.
Like the GV90, its upcoming ultra-luxury electric SUV, the G70 EV will ride on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which will replace the current E-GMP.
Genesis is expected to unveil the GV90 by the end of the year (Here’s a look at it after it was spotted for the first time in South Korea). With the G70 EV still under development, it’s not likely to arrive until 2027 or 2028. Prices are expected to start at around 70 million won in Korea, or just under $50,000. Check back for more details soon.
Would you buy the electric Genesis sports sedan for around $50,000? Let us know what features you would want to see in the comments below.
Source: TheKoreanCarBlog, MotorsJason
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Chinese car journalists are told not to be negative on Tesla as it sues customers and media
A new scathing report about Tesla just came out in China. It describes how the automaker is becoming trigger-happy, suing its own customers and the media while auto journalists are being told not to be negative about the American automaker.
To this day, Tesla is the only foreign automaker with a wholly-owned car factory in China, although Toyota is expected to follow in a few years.
Elon Musk made the deal happen with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials back in 2018. Tesla Gigafactory Shanghai became the company’s biggest production hub and its biggest source of revenue and profit.
Tesla would never be where it is today without Gigafactory Shanghai and the Chinese market.
Now, we learn that Tesla is willing to go to great lengths to protect that.
The Associated Press (AP) has just released a fascinating in-depth report about Tesla’s activities in China regarding customers and the media.
The report centers around a new perspective on the highly publicized battle between Tesla and one of its Chinese customers who claimed a brake defect, but it also goes deeper by highlighting a shift in Tesla’s approach to criticism in China.
AP found that Tesla sued “at least six car owners in China who had sudden vehicle malfunctions, quality complaints or accidents they claimed were caused by mechanical failures.”
Tesla also sued “at least six bloggers and two Chinese media outlets that wrote critically about the company.”
This is highly unusual behavior for an automaker.
The report also highlights the close relationship between Tesla and CCP officials, especially Li Qiang, the former party boss of Shanghai who is now China’s premier. He was involved in the Gigafactory Shanghai deal.
It’s not news that Tesla benefited from preferential treatment in China, but the report goes quite a bit further.
AP alleges that local media are instructed not to be negative on Tesla:
Tesla has profited from the largesse of the Chinese state, winning unprecedented regulatory benefits, below-market rate loans and large tax breaks. With a few pointed exceptions, Tesla has enjoyed largely ingratiating coverage in the Chinese press, and journalists told AP they have been instructed to avoid negative coverage of the automaker.
A reporter told AP:
“We were told by our editor that we should not write negatively about Tesla because it is a key company that was introduced and protected by the Shanghai government.”
The report also explains how Tesla wins about 90% of the court cases filed against the automaker by customers who claim a defect.
Many customers complained of Tesla’s lack of communication, leading to filing lawsuits.
If they file lawsuits, they lose, and if they complain publicly, they are the ones getting sued by Tesla and forced to pay the company and make a public apology.
Electrek’s Take
That’s quite a report. It gave a new perspective on Ms. Zhang’s case. Her case made it to Western media in 2021-2022, but never with the level of detail in this report.
The facts are she got into an accident. She claimed it was due to a brake failure. Tesla claimed it was due to a driver mistake.
She felt compelled to protest Tesla over what she saw as a serious safety issue. She was quite persistent with it. Tesla sued her and won because she had no way to prove that a brake defect had caused the accident. She was forced to pay Tesla and make a public apology.
But we also learned that Tesla claimed that other entities were backing her despite no evidence of that whatsoever.
I think there’s room for reflection on Tesla’s part here. Is this what it wants to be: a company that sues its customers and media over criticism?
Like some customers said in the report, Tesla could have avoided much that by simply having better communications with customers.
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