Li Auto reported a further drop in monthly vehicle deliveries in January, extending a prolonged downturn as competition intensified and overall market conditions remained weak.
The automaker delivered 27,668 vehicles last month, down 7.55% from a year earlier and 37.47% lower than December levels, company data released on Sunday showed. January marked Li Auto’s eighth consecutive month of year-on-year declines and its weakest monthly delivery performance since March 2025. As of Jan. 31, 2026, Li Auto’s cumulative deliveries stood at 1,567,883 vehicles.
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The company struggled throughout 2025 as its core L-series extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) came under growing pressure from rivals that moved faster to upgrade battery capacities and electric-only driving performance. While Li Auto made only incremental updates to its EREV lineup, competitors increasingly equipped similar models with battery packs of up to 80 kilowatt-hours, narrowing the experiential gap with full battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Li Auto’s newer i-series BEVs have also yet to gain significant traction, with production ramp-up still in its early stages. Earlier this week, the company notified some customers that deliveries of the Li i6 would be delayed due to slower-than-expected scaling of key component supply.
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To mitigate delays, Li Auto encouraged affected buyers to switch to versions equipped with batteries from Sunwoda for faster delivery, or to consider alternative models within its lineup. The i6, launched in September 2025, also uses battery packs supplied by CATL.
Chinese media outlet 36Kr reported last month that Li Auto is refocusing its strategy on its most established business line, aiming to regain leadership in the EREV segment. As part of that shift, the company is expected to prioritise an upgrade of its flagship Li L9 in 2026, featuring a battery capacity of more than 70 kWh and a single-charge electric range exceeding 400 kilometres, according to the report.
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Despite the sales slowdown, Li Auto continues to expand its retail and charging footprint. By the end of January, the company operated 547 retail stores across 159 cities and 547 service centres and authorised service outlets in 221 cities. It also ran 3,966 supercharging stations nationwide, equipped with 21,945 charging piles.