Nio is targeting a UK launch of its electric Firefly hatchback – a rival to the Mini Cooper - starting next year, the company told Autocar.
The brand has shown a right-hand-drive version of the 4003mm-long hatchback at the Guangzhou motor show, after it announced earlier in this month it had started building cars in the configuration. Singapore will be the first market for these models.
Nio has already begun selling the model in left-hand-drive versions in Europe including the Netherlands, where it costs from €29,900 (£26,349).
The car is pitched at the upper end of the small car market with the Mini Cooper Electric a key rival, a spokesperson told Autocar. The Mini costs from £28,905 including a £1,500 electric car grant.
The rear-wheel-drive Firefly packs a 41kWh lithium iron phosphate battery for a claimed WLTP range of 330km (205 miles). The Mini has 180-mile range from a 37kWh battery.
Nio has made a name for itself offering swappable batteries across its models, including the Firefly, but it remains to be seen whether the brand sets up a battery swap station network in the UK. The price in the Netherlands includes the battery. In some countries Nio offers the car at a discount in return for a monthly battery rental fee, allowing swapping.
The Firefly is equipped with electrically adjustable and heated front seats, and higher-priced versions offering ventilation as well. Other equipment includes a 14-speaker sound system, air cooled 50w phone charging, a 360-degreee camera and 3.5kW vehicle-to-load, which allows the car to power external devices.
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