Li Auto has unveiled its first all-electric SUV, the Li i8, signaling its latest push into China’s competitive battery electric vehicle (BEV) market. The move marks a crucial test for the automaker, which has so far relied on its success with extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs).
The company announced the Li i8 on its social media platforms, sharing images of the vehicle alongside the Li L9 SUV and the Li Mega multi-purpose vehicle (MPV), its first BEV model launched in March 2024. Li Auto founder, chairman, and CEO Li Xiang explained on Weibo that the “i” in the name represents “intelligence,” distinguishing the company’s pure electric models from its EREV lineup, where “L” stands for “Leading.”
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Li Auto originally planned to roll out more BEVs in the second half of 2024 but postponed the launch to early 2025 following weaker-than-expected performance of the Li Mega. The model fell short of management’s expectations, impacting sales of the company’s EREV lineup. Li Auto executives had initially targeted monthly sales of 8,000 units for the Li Mega but later acknowledged a miscalculation in its market positioning.
To support its BEV expansion, Li Auto is aggressively building a network of self-operated superchargers. The company currently operates 1,862 supercharging stations and aims to exceed 5,000 by 2025, covering 90 percent of major highways and core urban areas. Management previously stated that launching all-electric SUVs would depend on reaching a charging infrastructure scale comparable to Tesla China.
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Despite uncertainties in the BEV segment, Li Auto has maintained strong overall sales. The company delivered 500,508 vehicles in 2024, leading China’s emerging automakers. Investors responded positively to the Li i8 announcement, with Li Auto’s Hong Kong-listed shares rising about 11 percent to HK$118.1, extending their year-to-date gain to 24 percent.