On the evening of December 21, at the annual NIO Day event, NIO founder William Li primarily introduced NIO’s flagship model ET9, expressed gratitude to users, and also introduced the third brand under the NIO Group, Firefly.
NIO targets the high-end market, while the brand “Le Tao” focuses on family use, and Firefly is a small and fun electric vehicle. These three brands cover different market segments but share some technologies and resources, with plans to become profitable by 2026.
Firefly’s Design Receives Mixed Reactions
However, upon its release, the Firefly model was met with almost unanimous criticism and disappointment.
William Li described that the vehicle has three lights on each side, forming the Firefly’s “trio”: agility, ingenuity, and trust.
Before the release, there was high confidence in NIO’s design, with expectations that Firefly would at least match the design level of the Honda E, and possibly even surpass the BMW MINI. The result, however, was disappointing, and accepting it requires a lot of courage.
For example, in a poll conducted in the Dongchehui NIO Day summary article, over 6,000 people participated, with only about 800 finding the Firefly attractive, accounting for less than 15%.
Moreover, not only in the comments section of the Dongchehui article but also in other media articles or videos, the general opinion was similar: unattractive, ugly, and strange.
Some professionals in the design field also shared their views, which were more rational. For instance, OPPO ColorOS design director Chen Xi (as a NIO owner) commented on Weibo:
“The graphic representation of the NIO Firefly logo has issues; it looks like a swift or a hummingbird, but not a firefly. The overall shape is quite average, with a general rhythm, slightly rigid, more square than round, which is inconsistent with the car body that is more round than square. The graphic’s breakpoints are abrupt, the rounded corner details are overly ‘clever,’ giving a strong artificial decoration feel, lacking an organic integration. The lemon yellow brand color is recognizable and attractive. If the NIO main brand logo is 100 points (both in symbolic meaning and graphic are top-level), Firefly is 40 points, and Le Tao might only be 10 points.”
“I really like the car itself, the overall shape setting, ‘clumsy’ rather than ‘clever,’ especially the 45° angle from the right rear. The overall feeling is a mix of Fiat and MINI.”
In essence, the car’s design is good, but the logo design is quite average.
Weibo user @RamenMasterDesign, known in the automotive industry for creating high-quality car renderings, has a certain authority in car design and has been closely following the Firefly’s design with great expectations.
After the Firefly’s release, he also commented:
“The body posture is great, the overall design is excellent, and the C-pillar design is beautiful. The lights, which have always been a mystery, indeed became a major surprise. But it exceeded my imagination too much; do you think it’s a surprise?”
“I think since it’s so new, it would be better to reveal it earlier so that everyone can accept it sooner.”
After reviewing it multiple times the next day, he suggested that NIO should modify the Firefly’s light design:
“The most feared thing in design is living in your own world. It’s right to pursue memorable points, but you can’t be too confident.” I asked some designer friends, including those from Europe and America, and they all couldn’t understand this design.
A well-written story is still just a story; ugly is ugly. Honest advice is hard to hear, and many who criticize do so out of concern, including myself. Change it, don’t be stubborn.
Of course, this statement doesn’t directly mention the Firefly, but based on the context and recent public opinion, it’s essentially suggesting NIO.
During the pre-launch phase of a car model, it’s not uncommon for the design to be criticized heavily, leading to modifications before the official release. BYD’s Denza and Yangwang have had similar experiences.
Denza’s first SUV, the 2023 N7, was criticized for its overly complex front design, which seemed outdated. Six months later, the 2024 model was quickly redesigned with a much simpler front.
Similarly, the Yangwang U9’s initial design was too complex and lacked refinement. By the time it officially launched, the overall appearance had been adjusted.
However, for the Firefly, which is set to launch in April 2025, there might not be enough time for adjustments, meaning its appearance might remain unchanged at launch.
Another reason the Firefly’s design might not change is that NIO’s executives, including NIO’s founder and CEO, and Firefly’s CEO, have expressed their views. They generally agree: We’ve received feedback, and while the criticism has some merit, our design has its own rationale.
NIO’s Response: Catering to Global Preferences Takes Time
After NIO Day on December 21, 2024, NIO’s executive team participated in multiple interviews, including two attended by Dongchehui. Due to the significant public reaction to the Firefly’s appearance, NIO’s executives had to repeatedly address similar questions from reporters.
The main question was: We’ve noticed significant skepticism from readers and viewers about the Firefly’s appearance. Are NIO executives aware of the public opinion, and what do they think of the external evaluations? Why was the Firefly designed this way?
In response to blogger @Zhou Haoran Sean, Li Bin said:
“Of course, I’ve noticed the controversy over the Firefly’s headlight design. It’s better to have discussions than none.”
“Actually, we anticipated this situation from day one. We rarely reference others in our designs. The Firefly’s design is mainly based on the ‘Trilogy’ concept.”
“Internally, many have seen the actual car, and we’ve invited some friends to see it too. I believe they were quite sincere with me. I can confidently say that not a single person said, ‘I don’t like this design.'”
This friend likely includes former Volkswagen Group CEO Diess, whom Li Bin mentioned in the interview. Diess liked the Firefly, tried it early on, and offered many suggestions.
“Yesterday, a friend told me he thought the overall visual communication of the Firefly was outstanding. This excellence comes from deep thought and consistent expression; it’s a car with attitude.”
Qin Lihong appeared very confident in his remarks:
“People are quite familiar with NIO; some like the exterior design, some don’t. But we can proudly say that the Firefly is a completely original high-end compact car.”
“Some netizens say the headlights resemble an insect’s compound eyes. The thing is, a firefly is an insect, so that makes sense. As for whether there’s a backup design? There really isn’t.”
Jin Ge, CEO of the Firefly brand, stated:
“I’ve read all the comments. While they haven’t discouraged me, it’s impossible not to feel anything.”
“The comments didn’t exceed our expectations. From the project’s inception two years ago, from the first day the design concept was born, I knew it would be a topic of discussion and would need time to settle. This car gives you a different feeling at first glance, on a second look, and again when you see it in person.”
“Our initial design intention was to use the simplest elements to outline our DNA. We aim to create a high-end compact car that is born global but originates from China.”
“I hope everyone gives the Firefly some time to experience it deeply. I believe it will surprise you.”
Li Bin further explained:
“In terms of design direction, we have to consider the preferences of global users. Sometimes one side likes it more, and the other side less.”
“The Firefly was designed by our Munich design center. Our entire European team, including some partners, gave it high praise and really liked it.”
“Indeed, many users in China haven’t seen the actual car yet. Last night, I received some suggestions from NIO users asking if there’s a backup plan. I said we think this design is quite good. It’s understandable that everyone has different opinions.”
Regarding the idea that time will prove the Firefly’s design, Li Bin also mentioned placing the lidar on top of the front windshield, a design first seen on the NIO ET7. At the time, people said it didn’t look good, but later everyone accepted it.
To summarize the above statements, they can be boiled down to four points:
- Friends who have seen the actual car think it’s good.
- Those who haven’t seen it yet will also think it’s good once they do.
- The Firefly’s original design comes from Europe, where it might be more accepted.
- There is no backup plan; the design will not change.
However, the intense discussion surrounding the Firefly brand is a double-edged sword. While there are doubts, on the other hand, this new brand has gained significant attention and recognition upon its debut, which is a rare opportunity in the crowded new energy industry.
What if, as Jin Ge said, the real Firefly car is indeed good-looking?
Source from ifanr
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