It recently became clear that the Chinese luxury car manufacturer Nio will also enter the Bulgarian market. The Chinese from Nio recently signed a distribution agreement with the Greek company Motodynamics, which will sell cars under the Nio and Firefly brands in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria. As part of this expansion, Nio plans to launch a total of five models in these markets. These include:
* Nio EL6 (previously called ES6 in other regions) - a mid-size SUV
* Nio EL8 (previously called ES8 in other regions) - a larger six-seat SUV
* Nio ET5 - a mid-size sedan, a competitor to the Tesla Model 3
* Nio ET5 Touring (a station wagon version of the ET5)
* Firefly EV - a compact hatchback that is expected to be more affordable
The Firefly models, and specifically the compact hatchback, are expected to be aimed at the more mainstream market, with some of them said to be priced under €30,000. It is important to note that Nio stands out with its innovative battery swap service (Battery Swap Stations), which will probably be offered on the Bulgarian market as well.
If this service is successfully introduced in Bulgaria, it could completely change the user experience with electric vehicles. Instead of a long charging time, Nio owners will be able to swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one in just a few minutes. This will address one of the main concerns of electric vehicle buyers - charging time.