Li Auto said it has completed over 8 million kilometers of road tests for the Li i8, its first battery electric SUV, as the company prepares for a nationwide testing phase ahead of the model’s official launch in July.
The extensive testing program, equivalent to circling the globe more than 200 times, spanned two winters and two summers in 300 cities across China, the company said on Weibo. Engineers evaluated the Li i8 in varied terrains, including deserts, mountains, swamps, and icy roads, assessing over 1,200 Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) metrics.
See also: Li Auto to Launch Li i8 Electric SUV in July Amid Expansion of Charging Network
Starting March 10, Li Auto will expand testing across China using lightly camouflaged vehicles. The company released new images and a road test video of the Li i8 on its WeChat account.
Li Auto, a leading extended-range EV (EREV) maker in China, primarily sells L-series SUVs—Li L6, Li L7, Li L8, and Li L9—equipped with range-extending technology. The Li Mega MPV, launched on March 1, was the company’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV). While Li Auto initially planned to introduce additional BEVs in the second half of 2024, the timeline has shifted to the first half of 2025, it said in a May 2023 earnings call.
See also: Li Auto to Introduce Smart-Driving Upgrades in May, No 2025 Model-Year Refresh
The Li i8’s official unveiling is set for July, the company confirmed on March 3. Li Auto is scheduled to report fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings on March 14, where updates on the Li i8 and upcoming BEV models are expected to be key topics.
Before the Li i8’s launch, the company will upgrade its existing models in May with smart-driving hardware enhancements, according to Liu Jie, Li Auto’s vice president.