Li Auto’s updated Li L6 SUV. Credit: Li Auto
- The new Li L6 starts at 249,800 yuan ($36,910) and is equipped with Li Auto’s in-house developed Mach M100 assisted driving chip.
- The new SUV offers a CLTC battery-only range of 300 km, with deliveries to begin within a week.
Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) officially launched the new-generation Li L6 extended-range SUV (sport utility vehicle) on Thursday, completing the revamp of one of its entry-level and historically best-selling models.
The new vehicle is available in only one variant, the Li L6 Ultra, priced at 249,800 yuan ($36,910). The price is the same as the starting price of its predecessor.
The older Li L6 was available in Pro and Max variants, starting at 249,800 yuan and 279,800 yuan, respectively.
Local media outlet Leiphone previously reported that the overall per-vehicle cost of the new Li L6 increased by more than 14,000 yuan, due to rising prices of memory chips and lithium carbonate.
Keeping the price unchanged means Li Auto has absorbed the cost pressure itself.
Deliveries of the new Li L6 will begin within a week of the launch event. Customers who purchase during the initial sales period will receive three main benefits for free, including a front-row dual full-size zero-gravity seat package, an exclusive custom body color, and a black sport kit.
Positioned as a “versatile all-wheel drive SUV,” the new vehicle’s body dimensions are largely the same as the older model, with a length, width, and height of 4,935 mm, 1,960 mm, and 1,735 mm, respectively, and a wheelbase of 2,920 mm.
The power battery is one of the biggest upgrades in this revamp. The new vehicle’s battery capacity has been increased from 36.8 kWh in the older model to 51 kWh, offering a CLTC battery-only range of 300 km, an increase of 88 km over its predecessor.
With a full tank of fuel and a fully charged battery, the updated Li L6 has a CLTC combined range of 1,250 km.
Thanks to a new-generation lithium iron phosphate (LFP) supercharging battery designed for extended-range vehicles, the vehicle can charge from 20% to 80% in just 12 minutes, 8 minutes faster than the older model.
The new vehicle continues to be powered by a 1.5T turbocharged range extender, with dual electric motors delivering a combined output of 300 kW (402 hp) and 0-100 km/h acceleration in 5.4 seconds.
The new Li L6 comes standard with Li Auto’s in-house developed Mach M100 assisted driving chip with 1,280 TOPS of computing power, the same generation and same chip as the new Li L9, which is priced at nearly 500,000 yuan.
Consumers can also opt for the dual Mach M100 embodied intelligence package, which boosts computing power to 2,560 TOPS and brings the number of LiDARs to four. The package is available at a limited-time discounted price of 20,000 yuan.
Inside the cabin, the new vehicle features a 29-inch 6K integrated display spanning the center console and front passenger area, powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8797 chip. It offers an optional 21-inch 4K rear entertainment screen.
The new Li L6 arrives as demand for the current model has shrunk sharply. The model saw deliveries of just 915 units in June, plunging 94.44% year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
The delivery weakness was partly due to consumers holding off on purchases while waiting for the revamped model to launch.
Li L6 Monthly Deliveries 2024-2026
Month
2024
2025
2026
January
13,990
5,025
February
13,160
4,900
March
17,197
8,130
April
2,381
16,755
5,560
May
12,965
18,781
4,983
June
23,864
16,471
915
July
24,856
14,830
August
24,897
11,217
September
25,393
12,325
October
25,814
9,680
November
24,318
9,434
December
27,769
12,676
Li L6 monthly deliveries
2024
2025
2026
Li Auto as a whole is also under pressure on both sales and profitability. The company delivered 30,895 vehicles in June, down 14.84% year-on-year, marking the second consecutive month of year-on-year decline.
In the first quarter, the company unexpectedly recorded a net loss of 2.3 billion yuan, with its gross margin falling to 7.9% from 20.5% in the same period last year.
The Li L6’s revamp is a key step in Li Auto’s overhaul of its L series extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) lineup.
The company launched the revamped Li L9 on May 15 and launched the new Li L8, which switched from six seats to five, on June 23.
Deutsche Bank analyst Wang Bin’s team previously said in a research note that the new Li L6 is expected to be a significant driver of Li Auto’s sales.
Li Auto founder, chairman, and CEO Li Xiang said he hopes the new Li L6 will not only be the best in its class, but also deliver experiences that punch above its class, becoming the “king of experience” in its segment.
Li Auto has one more EREV model — the Li L7. The company has yet to announce details of an updated Li L7.
Li i9 measures 5,225 mm in length with a 3,168 mm wheelbase, significantly larger than the current all-electric flagship Li i8.
($1 = 6.7688 yuan)
