Nio's Firefly model hits 10,000th delivery, eyes expansion into Europe soon

Nio's Firefly model hits 10,000th delivery, eyes expansion into Europe soon

Firefly Aerospace, the American commercial space company, has made significant strides in its operations, with deliveries of its small-lift rocket, Alpha, commencing from U.S. launch sites as early as 2025. The company's first operational rocket has already completed multiple successful launches by this year [3].

The U.S. spaceports serving as Firefly's launchpads include the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) on Wallops Island, Virginia. New launch capabilities are slated to become available at Wallops Island as early as next year [4].

Firefly's second-stage reusable vehicle, Eclipse, is expected to make its debut around 2026 [3]. The company's rapid progress has earned it key NASA contracts, including a recent $177 million contract announced in July 2025 for a lunar mission targeted for landing in 2029 at the Moon's south pole using its Blue Ghost lunar lander and Elytra spacecraft [1][2].

In the automotive sector, Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has been making waves with its Firefly model. The right-hand drive version of the Firefly is expected to be ready by October at the latest [5]. Nio originally planned to launch Firefly in Europe first, but higher tariffs forced a change in strategy, leading to the vehicle's launch in China instead [6].

Deliveries of the Firefly vehicle have been robust, with 2,157 units delivered this month [7], and the 10,000th Firefly vehicle delivered today [8]. The company has also delivered 231 units in the last two days of April and 3,680 units in May, followed by 3,932 units in June [9][10][11]. Deliveries in Europe are set to begin soon [12].

Nio has partnered with HERE Technologies for overseas map data, and the Firefly comes in two trims, with starting prices of RMB 119,800 and RMB 125,800 [3]. With the Battery as a Service (BaaS) purchase option, the purchase threshold for the Firefly is RMB 79,800, but consumers need to pay a monthly battery rental fee of RMB 399 [13].

In preparation for market entry, Firefly conducted a 15-day road test in Europe last month [14]. Qin Lihong, co-founder and president of Nio, announced that Firefly would launch in Europe between June and August [15]. The Firefly brand was officially launched on December 21, 2024 [16]. As of the end of June, cumulative Firefly deliveries were 7,843 units [17].

References:

1. NASA Awards Firefly Aerospace $177 Million Contract for Lunar Mission
2. Firefly Aerospace to Deliver Lunar Mission for NASA
3. Firefly Aerospace: A Rising Star in the Commercial Space Industry
4. Firefly Aerospace Expands Launch Capabilities with Wallops Island Facility
5. Nio Firefly: Everything You Need to Know About the New Electric SUV
6. Nio's Firefly to Launch in China Instead of Europe Due to Higher Tariffs
7. Nio Delivers 2,157 Firefly Vehicles in June
8. NIO Inc Delivers Its 10,000th Firefly Vehicle
9. Nio Firefly Deliveries Break Records in May
10. Nio Firefly Deliveries Surpass 3,900 Units in June
11. Nio Firefly Deliveries Exceed Expectations in April
12. Nio Firefly Deliveries in Europe to Begin Soon
13. Nio Firefly's Battery as a Service (BaaS) Option Explained
14. Nio Conducts 15-Day Firefly Road Test in Europe
15. Qin Lihong: Firefly to Launch in Europe Between June and August
16. Nio Firefly Brand Launched on December 21, 2024
17. Cumulative Firefly Deliveries Reach 7,843 Units by End of June
18. Firefly Aerospace, making strides in the commercial space industry, is set to deliver its small-lift rocket, Alpha, from U.S. launch sites starting in 2025, with potential expansion to Wallops Island, Virginia, by next year.
19. In the automotive sector, Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer, has been successful in the market with its Firefly model, delivering 2,157 units this month and targeting deliveries in Europe soon.
20. Amidst growing momentum, Firefly Aerospace has secured key contracts with NASA, such as a $177 million deal for a lunar mission in 2029, showcasing the company's increasing presence in the space industry.
21. In partnership with HERE Technologies, Nio's Firefly vehicle, available in two trims, is set to launch in Europe between June and August amidst ongoing preparations for market entry, as seen in the 15-day road test conducted in Europe last month.
22. The successful delivery timeline of the Firefly vehicle, including 231 units in the last two days of April and 3,680 units in May, underscores the significance of technology advancements in both the space and automotive sectors.

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