A Li i6 electric SUV in a promotional image released by Li Auto to announce its partnership with the 2026 Solheim Cup. Credit: Li Auto
- Li Auto confirmed that the Li i6 will appear as the Li 6 at next month’s Paris Motor Show, where it will unveil its global product lineup and European business plans.
- Li Auto is providing 20 Li i6 vehicles for courtesy transport at the Solheim Cup in the Netherlands, calling the partnership the start of its entry into Europe.
Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) is launching its European marketing push through an international golf event in the Netherlands, paving the way for its battery electric vehicles to enter the region.
The company announced on Thursday that it had become an official partner of the 2026 Solheim Cup and confirmed that its Li i6 electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) will be named the Li 6 overseas.
Li Auto has provided a fleet of 20 Li i6 vehicles for official courtesy transport for players and VIP guests throughout the event. The company described the partnership as the formal start of its push into Europe.
The women’s team golf event runs from September 7 to 13 in the Netherlands. Li Auto is also displaying a 2025 Li Mega electric MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) in the fan village.
The company said it will unveil its global product lineup and European business plans at the Paris Motor Show in October, alongside details of future products. The European version of the Li i6 will make its auto show debut as the Li 6.
Li Auto had previously announced its participation in the Paris Motor Show. The latest statement clarifies the model’s overseas name and the business details the company plans to disclose at the event.
Wu Zuomin, head of Li Auto’s international business, said the company aims to draw on its experience with the Li i6 in China and its upcoming Paris Motor Show debut to bring smart EVs to European families.
During its August 26 earnings call, the company said it planned to begin selling the Li i6 in Europe in the fourth quarter. The electric SUV will spearhead its entry into the market.
Thursday’s statement did not specify the first European countries where sales will begin, local pricing or sales channel arrangements.
Europe is a key part of Li Auto’s strategy to tailor its product offerings by region. The company plans to prioritize battery electric vehicles (BEVs) there, while focusing on L-series extended-range models in the Middle East and Central Asia.
Its overseas expansion has recently made progress. Li Auto launched the all-new Li L9 extended-range SUV in Dubai on September 3, marking its first official vehicle sales in the Gulf region.
The company had previously launched the all-new Li L9 in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and reached a local assembly agreement with Kazakhstan’s automotive group Allur.
Li Auto plans to establish sales, delivery and after-sales service networks through a flexible mix of subsidiaries, dealers and exclusive distributors, depending on each market’s size and competitive landscape.
The overseas push comes as Li Auto returns to delivery growth. The company delivered 37,679 vehicles in August, up 32.07% year-on-year, ending 3 consecutive months of annual declines.
In the first 8 months of the year, Li Auto delivered 261,619 vehicles, down 0.6% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Li i9 Home features rotating zero-gravity seats and will be Li Auto’s second model to offer a Home version, following the Li Mega MPV.
