Chinese EV brand Nio to be launched in Singapore in first quarter of 2026
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Nio's battery-swopping technology takes three minutes to exchange a flat battery for a fresh one.
PHOTO: WEARNES AUTOMOTIVE
Follow topic:
- Nio will launch in Singapore by Q1 2026 via Wearnes Automotive, debuting the right-hand-drive Firefly compact EV.
- Singapore will be the first country to offer the Firefly in right-hand drive, competing with Mini models.
- Nio is also expanding to Costa Rica and Uzbekistan, and Wearnes is studying the viability of battery swopping in Singapore.
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SINGAPORE – Nio, a Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brand known for its battery charge and swop technology, will be launching in Singapore in the first quarter of 2026 under multi-brand motor group Wearnes Automotive.
Singapore will be Nio’s first South-east Asian market. The first model will be the Firefly, a compact electric hatchback.
While the Firefly can be charged up with a conventional EV charger, the battery can also be swopped out for a fully charged one in three minutes at Nio’s battery charge and swop station, although such set-ups in Singapore have not been confirmed.
The compact EV will compete against the likes of the electric Mini Cooper and Aceman models here.
While Nio has an extensive range of models in Europe and China, they are available only in left-hand drive and so cannot be sold here. The Firefly is the first Nio product to also be made in right-hand drive.
Wearnes’ spokeswoman could not confirm details of future models in the pipeline, but said the company is looking forward to bringing in other body types including sport utility vehicles and four-door saloons, which are both more popular than compact hatchbacks like the Firefly.
Besides announcing its expansion to Singapore, Nio also said it will be launching in Costa Rica, its first entry into the Americas; and Uzbekistan, its first market in Central Asia.
The spokeswoman for Wearnes Automotive said the company is working with the carmaker to study the viability of setting up the swopping service in Singapore.
As of August, Nio has 60 battery charge and swop stations in Europe. The swopping is an automated process where the flat battery is taken out and replaced with a fully charged one, without any need for human intervention.
Chic: Nio Firefly is a compact EV that will launch the brand here in the first quarter of 2026.
PHOTO: WEARNES AUTOMOTIVE
The announcement on Aug 18 ends months of speculation about Nio’s plans for Singapore.
Founded in 2014, the Chinese carmaker was listed in Singapore and Hong Kong’s stock exchanges in 2022, following its listing in New York in 2018.
Battery charge and swop for electric cars are currently not covered under Singapore’s national charging standard. Currently, there are two trials with the technology for electric heavy commercial vehicles carried out under separate special permits given by the Land Transport Authority.
