NIO reportedly plans to erect its fourth production plant in Chuzhou Economic Development Zone, as per established Chinese media platform Cailian, citing people familiar with the matter.
Notably, the F4 plant would be dedicated to the automaker’s third brand, codenamed “Firefly.”
About the site
The report noted that the plant incorporates the previously owned factory by the demised automaker Leopard.
For those unaware, Leopard was the leading SUV maker in China in 2017, with over 100,000 unit sales. The automaker was founded in 1950 and filed for bankruptcy in 2021. Since then, its plants across China have been acquired by other automakers.
However, its Chuzhou plant has been owned by the government. Data provider Tianyancha disclosed that the Chuzhou Municipal Finance Bureau’s owned entity replaced the investor in Anhui Leopard Automotive Co Ltd. in June 2022.
What do we know so far?
In retrospect, NIO President Qin Lihong previously stated that the company is developing new models for its ALPS sub-brand. He also disclosed that the Firefly sub-brand is already in the planning phase, with its first EV offerings aimed at the European market.
As for the schedule, the report’s sources claim that the production will start in Q3 2024. It also stated that the plant is intended to produce compact cars with a base price of 100,000 yuan ($15,000).
More details about the plant are expected to be disclosed in March to April.
