CATL confirmed on October 24 that its Qilin battery is used in Firefly’s new 60-kWh battery option, launched in China the previous day. The pack gives the small electric vehicle a CLTC-rated range of 560 km, up 140 km, or about 33%, from the original 42-kWh version. Firefly says the two packs have the same dimensions and the vehicle’s curb weight is unchanged.
The new battery uses nickel-cobalt-manganese cells, while the original 42-kWh pack, supplied by Sunwoda, uses lithium iron phosphate cells and offers a 420-km CLTC range. CATL did not say which generation of Qilin battery is fitted or disclose its charging rate. Firefly vehicles can also use Nio’s battery-swap network, with a swap taking about three minutes.
A new Firefly with the 60-kWh pack starts at 136,800 yuan (about $20,360) including the battery, or 79,800 yuan with battery rental of 599 yuan per month. Existing owners can upgrade: outright buyers pay 17,000 yuan after at least a year, while BaaS customers pay a 3,000-yuan service fee and see monthly rent rise from 399 yuan to 599 yuan. Firefly reported 90,000 cumulative deliveries on October 16 and a record 7,327 deliveries in September. The model launched in China in April 2025 and targets the small-EV segment, including rivals such as Mini and Smart.