Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866) has partnered with Thailand's Thonburi Group to introduce the Onvo and Firefly sub-brands to the Southeast Asian country, according to a report by Yiche today.
The report noted that Thonburi owns Thonburi Automotive Assembly Plant Co Ltd, one of the region's prominent Mercedes-Benz assembly facilities.
The report did not mention further details about the partnership. Firefly announced on November 21 that Nio Inc would collaborate with Thonburi -- a renowned automotive and mobility solutions provider established in 1941 -- to leverage its industrial capabilities and comprehensive commercial ecosystem for the launch of Firefly cars.
Thailand is the second right-hand drive and Southeast Asian market where Nio has introduced its Firefly brand. This does not come as a surprise, as Nio previously announced that, after launching in Singapore, it would bring its small EV to Thailand. The company has partnered with Thonburi Bluesky, a new subsidiary of Thonburi Group, for its distributorship.
Thonburi Group has served as the official Mercedes-Benz distributor in Thailand for nearly seven decades, and that experience in the luxury car industry could benefit Thonburi Bluesky. The new subsidiary has launched Firefly's local website, where prospective customers can now register their interest in the Firefly EV. It plans to announce the pricing at the 2026 Bangkok International Motor Show, which will open on 23 March and run through 5 April.
Nio has brought the Firefly EV to Thailand in the same configuration as other markets globally. The car features a single, rear-mounted motor that generates 105 kW and 200 Nm of torque, enough to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 8.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 150 kph. A 42.1 kWh LFP battery pack charges this motor and delivers an NEDC range of 400 kilometres. It takes 30 minutes for a 10-80% DC charging session and can supply up to 3.68 kW via a vehicle-to-load (V2L) bi-directional charging function.
The Thai-spec Firefly EV offers 335 litres of luggage space, expandable to 1,253 litres by folding the rear seat, as well as a 29-litre under-seat storage compartment in the rear and a 29-litre frunk. Besides the technical details, Nio has confirmed key features such as a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay compatibility, a 640-watt, 7.1-channel, 14-speaker sound system with Dolby Atmos, 256-colour ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof.
Following Firefly, Nio plans to launch cars from its core brand and the Onvo brand in Thailand later this year. The company has appointed Thonburi Bluesky as the distributor for these two brands as well.