China is the world The most competitive market For electrical cars. Emerging companies and auto -established companies start prices and technology, increasingly, as companies are trying to get their share in the market. Foreign visitors Often you are amazed What the Chinese EVS can do.
“The EV market, especially in China, is able to compete incredibly,” says Chris Thomason, Vice President of NIO Design, one of EV starters in China. To keep the introduction to the competition, “the design should really be a pioneering edge, and always look forward to the front, so we are very progressive. So we give us the ability to push the design side.”
The design means that you are very graceful to follow new ideas quickly-with a helping hand from digital technology. “The main decisions that may take months in the traditional auto industry, we can take within hours through our digital tools,” says Thomason.
NIO is now trying to use its design slices in the release of a new “Firefly”-as it tries to storm the novice part in both Chinese and European car markets.
Battery exchange and New houses
William Lee NIO founded in 2014; The company appeared for the first time in its car in 2016. The startup focused on high -end vehicles, competing with companies such as Tesla and its Chinese colleague EV Maker Xpeng. I delivered nio 737,000 cars in total During the end of April.
Thomason, who was previously working in BMW, Ford and Coca-Cola, was “one of the top ten people who were brought, which made me realize how important the design is for this company to move forward.”
Michael Tropper, founder of the Forpeeple Design Agency, was introduced to NIO early to work on “one time opportunity in his life to build something from the zero point.” Try to focus on NIO offers outside the car itself, especially the company’s batteries.
“This is the main concern that everyone has about EVS: How will I impose fees on the car? What if the power runs out?” Troper says. Tropper says that NIO has since manufactured elegant and simple batteries stations “a coherent part of the brand experience.”
The second unique aspect behind NIO is “NIO HOUSES”, and the company’s division facades. Startup is photographing these “homes” as societal spaces for NIO drivers, including common spaces, libraries and cafes. “We are inspired by members of the private sector,” said Tropper. “William took me to Soho House here in London, and we are really indulged in this world.”
NIO now has more than 180 of these spaces, most of which are in China with a few in Europe and the Middle East. “One of the main components of the differentiation of NIO is a culture of service and care for the customer. We felt very early, that space in which people hosts is the best way to express it,” says Tropper. “The auto industry can learn a lot of hospitality industry.”
New NIO Project: Firefly
NIO shares have decreased by 30 % over the past 12 months, as investors are still worried about whether EVs can stay in the EV sector in China. Company I was born 9 billion dollars In the revenue in 2024, it was reported that a loss of $ 3 billion for this year.
Dozens of Chinese startups have emerged over the past decade, and have benefited from government subsidies. While this helped the growth of the competitive car industry globally, it also leads to this Fierce The battle of car makers is also for the market share. Many It is likely to failUnable to keep pace with giants like BYD, Tesla and Geely Auto.
For its part, NIO stumbled in an attempt to expand the assortment of its products. Onvo, which targets the comprehensive market sector, revealed last year. yet The sales were slower than he was hopingThat is, executives blame for late delivery.
The latest starting view is “Firefly”, a more car than the entry level compared to its distinctive standard models.
The Chinese startup company launched Firefly on the Chinese market in mid -April. The first model, a small EV looks like a mini, only sells it under 120,000 Chinese yuan (16,466 dollars). NIO refused to disclose request numbers for the new brand, but the founder William Li suggested that he hopes at the end 10 % makeup From the company’s sales.
Reflect on NIO to launch Firefly in Europe The third quarter From the year. It is a slight delay in the company’s original plan to launch by summer; NIO admits that he reduced the challenges of selling in Europe.
When designing the car, “cut it into three main words: live, thoughtful and solid,” says Thomason. This first feature – by lobby – is characterized by “triple lights”: three small front lamps on each side of the car front, which are reflected on the back. “No one did that in the industry,” explains Thomason. “It can be recognized immediately.”
The thinking inside the car, which the company made “as effective as possible” to increase the space. Finally, despite its price more than the entry price, the car still needs to feel it is a “distinct car,”.
Tropper, also the idea of ”Firefly” in developing the brand image of the car, and choosing “an electric yellow color, glowing compensates the most cold tones at night.”
For Tropper, working on Firefly was an opportunity for brand and design teams to work closely together, rather than being in a separate header. “DNA should work for the brand as well as cars,” he says.
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
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