Nio Firefly adds 60-kWh battery with permanent swap option

Nio’s Firefly now offers a 60-kWh battery in China, raising the small electric vehicle’s claimed CLTC range from 420 km to 560 km.

What changes under the hood?

Nio markets Firefly as a sub-brand in China and has made the small electric vehicle available in part of Europe. The battery option applies to China; the announcement does not extend it to all European sales.

Nio says the 60-kWh CATL pack keeps the dimensions and weight of the earlier 42-kWh battery. Nio attributes that result to replacing lithium iron phosphate cells with denser ternary lithium cells.

The announcement gives no independent range, weight or energy-density results. It also provides no CATL output figure, allocation volume or delivery schedule for the 60-kWh pack. The configuration is announced, but its production scale is not.

The change is the Firefly’s second hardware revision within a year. Nio previously replaced the 105-kW motor with a 120-kW powertrain.

How large is the range gain?

The 60-kWh unit adds 18 kWh over the 42-kWh pack. Nio lists claimed CLTC range at 560 km, compared with 420 km for the earlier battery. Its stated approximations rise from 340 km to 454 km on the WLTP cycle.

The higher capacity comes from a cell chemistry change, not a larger battery enclosure. That supports the stated upgrade path. The two range figures use different test cycles and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Firefly has only partial availability in Europe, and Nio does not say the 60-kWh option or swap offer will be available there.

What do new buyers pay?

Nio prices a new Firefly with the 60-kWh battery from 136,800 yuan, approximately €18,350. The larger battery is available for new orders as well as existing owners.

The material gives no production allocation, delivery schedule or expected order volume for the option. Buyers have a price and range claim, but no disclosed supply timetable.

Can owners make a permanent upgrade?

Customers who bought a Firefly with the battery included can opt for a permanent 60-kWh upgrade. They must wait until at least one year after the purchase date.

The physical swap can occur at a battery-swap station. Nio’s fifth-generation stations are compatible with Firefly, according to the announcement.

Nio sets the regular upgrade premium at 17,000 yuan, about €2,280. The early-buyer offer has two conditions. Orders must be placed by October 22, 2026, and the swap must finish by the end of 2027. Eligible buyers then receive a 2,000-yuan credit worth about €270.

What changes for battery subscribers?

Customers who lease the battery monthly can also switch permanently to the 60-kWh pack. The conversion carries a one-time service fee of 3,000 yuan, approximately €400.

The monthly lease payment rises from 399 yuan to 599 yuan, or roughly €54 to €80. A limited-time promotion cuts the effective service fee to 2,000 yuan for eligible first-time buyers through a 1,000-yuan voucher.

That discount applies to the service fee. The listed monthly payment after conversion is 599 yuan.

What should Nio prove next?

The next milestone is the end-2027 points-credit window. Watch completed swaps, customer uptake, CATL production allocations and independent range results. Nio has not disclosed expected swap volume in the announcement.

Until those data appear, treat the 560-km range and same-size battery as manufacturer claims, not verified outcomes. The key test is whether owners actually convert and whether the replacement pack delivers the promised range in service.