Nio Firefly Gets 60kWh CATL Battery With 560km Range

CATL has confirmed that the Nio Firefly electric hatchback is powered by a 60 kWh Qilin battery pack offering up to 560 km of range on 24 October 2026, with Chinese pricing starting from 136,800 yuan (approximately RM83,790). The new pack, officially launched on 23 October 2026, extends the vehicle's driving range by 140 km without altering dimensions or weight.

The electric vehicle is produced under Nio's Firefly brand, which was launched in China in April 2025 to compete in the small EV segment against brands such as MINI and smart. In China, vehicle pricing starts from 79,800 yuan (approximately RM48,878) under the Battery as a Service (BaaS) subscription plan, which separates vehicle purchase from battery ownership.

Key Facts

What Are the Specifications of the 60 kWh CATL Qilin Battery?

The 60 kWh CATL Qilin battery uses nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) cells to deliver a driving range of up to 560 km under the CLTC test cycle. This represents a 140 km or 33 per cent increase over the standard 42 kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) pack, while maintaining identical pack dimensions and vehicle weight.

According to an article by CnEVPost titled "CATL confirms Qilin Battery powers Nio Firefly with 560 km range", CATL verified the battery's deployment via a post on Weibo on 24 October 2026. The Qilin series was originally introduced by CATL in 2022, with its third generation unveiled in April 2026. However, CATL has not stated the specific Qilin generation or charging rates utilised by the Firefly. The vehicle supports a three-minute battery swap, allowing drivers to continue their journey without waiting for wired charging.

The 60 kWh CATL Qilin battery provides the Nio Firefly with up to 560 km of CLTC range using nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry without increasing vehicle weight or pack dimensions.

Can Existing Nio Firefly Owners Upgrade to the 60 kWh Battery?

Existing Nio Firefly owners can permanently upgrade to the 60 kWh battery pack because both battery capacities share identical housing dimensions, mounting points, and locking mechanisms. Vehicle owners who purchased their battery outright can apply for a permanent upgrade after exactly one year from their purchase invoice date for 17,000 yuan (approximately RM10,413).

Firefly confirmed that the standardised module design allows drivers to complete capacity upgrades directly at battery swap stations without replacing the vehicle itself. For customers using the Battery as a Service (BaaS) scheme, the permanent upgrade service fee is 3,000 yuan (approximately RM1,838), while the monthly battery rental fee rises from 399 yuan (approximately RM244) for the 42 kWh pack to 599 yuan (approximately RM367) for the 60 kWh pack.

Existing Nio Firefly owners can upgrade to the 60 kWh battery through standardised battery swap stations without vehicle modifications.

Which Nio Battery Swap Stations Can the Firefly Use?

The Nio Firefly is compatible with Nio's fifth-generation battery swap stations, having gained access to the network on 7 August 2026. Because of its shorter vehicle body and wheelbase, the Firefly model cannot use Nio's fourth-generation swap stations, restricting automated three-minute swapping strictly to the newer fifth-generation infrastructure.

The adoption of the Qilin pack expands Nio's long-term collaboration with CATL. In January 2026, both companies announced a five-year agreement covering the joint development of long-life batteries and battery swap compatibility technology. According to data cited by CnEVPost, Firefly's cumulative deliveries reached 90,000 units on 16 October 2026, supported by a monthly delivery record of 7,327 units in September 2026 and 48,122 deliveries across the first nine months of 2026.

Nio Firefly models can access Nio fifth-generation battery swap stations for three-minute battery swaps, but cannot use fourth-generation stations due to their shorter wheelbase.

How It Compares for Malaysian Users

For Malaysian observers tracking small premium electric vehicles, the Nio Firefly offers two distinct battery capacities and ownership structures converted to Ringgit Malaysia equivalents. The model competes directly against compact urban EVs like MINI and smart, offering CLTC ranges between 420 km and 560 km across outright vehicle purchase and monthly BaaS subscription models.

The Nio Firefly 60 kWh variant expands driving range to 560 km with Chinese pricing starting from approximately RM83,790 outright or RM48,878 via Battery as a Service.

Common Questions

How much does the Nio Firefly 60 kWh cost with and without battery rental?

In China, the outright purchase price including the 60 kWh battery starts at 136,800 yuan (approximately RM83,790). Under the Battery as a Service (BaaS) rental scheme, the vehicle price starts at 79,800 yuan (approximately RM48,878) with an ongoing monthly battery rental fee of 599 yuan (approximately RM367).

How long does the Nio Firefly take to swap its battery?

The Nio Firefly supports automated battery swapping in three minutes at compatible stations. This allows drivers to continue their journey without waiting for conventional plug-in charging, provided they use Nio's fifth-generation battery swap stations which gained Firefly compatibility on 7 August 2026.

What are the requirements and costs for existing owners to upgrade to the 60 kWh pack?

Outright owners can apply for a permanent upgrade after one year from their purchase invoice date for 17,000 yuan (approximately RM10,413). BaaS users pay a 3,000 yuan (approximately RM1,838) upgrade fee, with monthly rental increasing from 399 yuan (approximately RM244) to 599 yuan (approximately RM367).

Sources and Methodology

This report synthesises data from the original coverage published by Careta.my, which references official announcements from CATL on Weibo and reporting by CnEVPost regarding vehicle specifications and sales volumes.

Original report: Careta

Non-English source material was translated from the original Malay report. All Chinese Yuan (RMB) figures cited from the source text are accompanied by their approximate Ringgit Malaysia (RM) conversions as stated in the source material. This article is based on the source report above and was last updated on 25 October 2026.