NIO’s sub-brand firefly, under the theme “Glow Rod Garage,” made its debut at the Brera art district of Milan Design Week, becoming the first Chinese pure-electric small car brand to exhibit at this design event. The new custom design, created by Kris Tomasson, NIO’s Senior Vice President of Design, draws inspiration from hot rod customization culture, evolving traditional flame motifs into electric symbols, replacing heat with light. Firefly Glow Rod Livery Edition This theme also aims to express how firefly hopes to explore the continuation of the late-night garage car modification culture — with its spirit of craftsmanship, personal expression, and creative instinct — into the electric era. As you can see, the new livery blends black, yellow, and orange. On the side of the body is a large lightning bolt emblem. The front wheels are finished in highly saturated orange and yellow, while the rear wheels are in black — a highly expressive overall look. Firefly Glow Rod Livery Edition According to Yu Dongming, General Manager of NIO Anhui, the newly liveried vehicle will be displayed at the Beijing Auto Show. In fact, since the initial release of the firefly, NIO has stated its hope that the firefly model would become a canvas, a platform to carry each person’s unique inspiration and story. In January 2025, firefly officially launched the “Project Glow” user co-creation initiative. As of mid-December 2025, the brand had received over 38,000 customization ideas submitted by users. In addition to the officially released new livery, an increasing number of diverse customization expressions have appeared on the streets, gradually forming the brand’s unique customization ecosystem. Firefly Glow Rod Livery Edition Beyond the co-created user ecosystem, firefly’s market performance has also been impressive. As of March 1, 2026, the firefly brand had delivered a cumulative total of 50,997 vehicles. In early April, the new firefly model was officially launched. With the price unchanged, the new model features comprehensive upgrades in exterior design, powertrain, and intelligence. At the same time, the brand offers free OTA upgrades for existing users, and for hardware upgrades, supports full redemption via points. To date, firefly has entered 10 countries globally, covering both Europe and Southeast Asia. According to the plan, as NIO Group’s pioneer in overseas expansion, firefly aims to enter a total of 40 countries and regions worldwide by the end of 2026.