At this year’s Auto Guangzhou, Nio founder and CEO William Li said Firefly has partnered with Ant Group’s Zhima Credit and automotive platform SuperEV to launch a credit-based car subscription service. The program is designed to give users a low-barrier way to experience Firefly and decide whether the sub-brand fits their needs.
Why car subscription, and why now?
For years, car buying in China centered on ownership, with high down payments, long loans, and extensive paperwork. The rise of new energy vehicles is shifting this model. Faster product cycles, more advanced features, and less predictable resale values have made traditional buy-and-replace patterns less efficient. Consumers are switching cars more often, and flexibility is becoming more important.
According to 36Kr, SuperEV founder Sun Zefeng describes car subscription as a third mode of vehicle access, distinct from purchasing and renting. Users pay periodically to use a vehicle, while insurance, taxes, and maintenance are bundled into the fee. Compared with buying, subscription reduces long-term commitments, and compared with renting, it offers lower costs and a stronger sense of attachment. Flexibility, cross-brand choice, and integrated operations form the model’s core advantages.
Global momentum supports this shift. Boston Consulting Group projects that by 2030, Europe’s car subscription market will represent 15% of new car sales, exceeding USD 30 billion. Research and Markets forecasts global subscription revenue rising from USD 8.09 billion in 2024 to USD 30.29 billion in 2029, a compound annual growth rate of around 30%. In China, Grand View Research estimates the market will reach USD 2.08 billion by 2030.
The model aligns strongly with younger consumers who prefer service-based access over ownership, and it fits automakers that now rely more on recurring revenue from software, batteries, and membership services. “Car subscription frees you from being tied to a single car, while giving you the excitement of an entire vehicle library,” Sun told 36Kr.
The seven-day Firefly subscription is positioned as China’s first credit-based car subscription. Users with a Zhima score of 800 or higher can access the service without deposits or complex documentation. Through SuperEV, they can drive a Firefly vehicle with one tap and access the Nio ecosystem for seven days, including app features, Nio House access, and driving perks. The plan supports daily commuting and weekend trips and is intended as a meaningful trial before purchase. Afterward, users can switch to a monthly subscription, buy the vehicle, or try a different model.
Three-way collaboration
Each partner contributes distinct capabilities. Zhima Credit provides the trust infrastructure for credit-based access. Firefly provides the vehicle and brand experience. SuperEV delivers subscription infrastructure and user operations. Together, they are targeting consumers who value quality, trust, and flexibility.
SuperEV helps both Zhima 800 and Firefly reach broader user circles. For Firefly, this is its first attempt to pair its vehicles with a try-before-you-buy credit model, reducing the threshold for experiencing a premium compact electric vehicle. Zhima 800, which serves users with credit scores of 800 and above, extends access to Nio House and other perks and lowers barriers to engaging with premium EVs.
Firefly appeals to urban consumers and young drivers with its compact design, safety features, premium interior, and smart cabin. These users are often families purchasing an additional vehicle or first-time buyers seeking refinement, which aligns naturally with a subscription-first approach. The broader Nio ecosystem, including Nio House and Nio Life, supports the experience with integrated services and community offerings.
SuperEV has built a subscription system that spans short-term trials through long-term use. Its structure covers trial subscriptions, flexible subscriptions for short-term needs under a year, and long-term plans for commitments of more than 24 months.
The Firefly program is designed to reduce the barrier to premium EV access. It provides an immersive but low-commitment trial that improves on traditional rental formats. SuperEV’s operational infrastructure connects credit screening to real-world use, reducing friction for users.
In effect, the three companies have created a targeted service system for high-credit users, aligning benefits and experiences to strengthen loyalty and conversion. “We are jointly serving the same group of quality-seeking consumers,” Sun said. “Through the strongest possible experience, we satisfy their desire to try new things.”
Looking ahead
The long-term aim is to support a broader transition from trial to regular subscription use:
- First, the partners make credit and subscription tangible through high-quality products and service standards.
- Second, pairing a premium EV with a high-credit user base helps validate the model’s feasibility in the higher-end market.
- Third, the collaboration establishes benchmarks for credit-based mobility services that could extend to more vehicle classes.
Future expansion may include SUVs, MPVs, sports cars, flying vehicles, and yachts, enabling a model in which one subscription unlocks access to multiple vehicle types across commuting, travel, and leisure. Subscription packages could integrate additional perks such as mileage-based charging or priority battery swaps, forming a premium mobility membership system.
As acceptance grows, tiered credit thresholds and varied subscription plans could expand the model to broader demographic groups. With smart city infrastructure developing, high-credit users may gain streamlined parking, prioritized charging, and other integrated mobility benefits.
For now, the partnership marks an early move toward a consumption model built on trust, flexibility and service. It points to a future where cars function less as owned assets and more as modular, on-demand spaces, and where credit effectively becomes a gateway to personalized mobility. By aligning user experience with product access, the companies seek to accelerate the shift from vehicle ownership to subscription and help shape the next phase of China’s automotive market.