Li Auto Unveils i8, Its First Pure Electric SUV

On February 25, Li Auto officially announced via its Weibo account: "Li Auto i8, Li Auto's first pure electric SUV."

source: OFweek

Following the announcement, Li Auto CEO Li Xiang explained that in their naming convention, the "L" in their range-extended SUVs represents "Leading," while the "i" in their pure electric SUVs stands for "intelligence."

According to Li Auto, the i series represents an entirely new pure electric SUV lineup that will stand alongside the L series and MEGA, collectively forming a comprehensive vehicle portfolio.

At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, Li Xiang stated that the i8 (previously known as M8) can essentially be viewed as a wagon version of the Tesla Model X, designed to better address third-row seating space limitations. He also emphasized that the new vehicle is not styled as an MPV, noting that if the section behind the C-pillar were removed, the front half of the body would closely resemble both the Model Y and Model X.

Based on Li Auto's product roadmap, by 2025, the company will launch 5 range-extended models, 1 super flagship model (MEGA), and 5 pure electric models. Previous reports also indicated that all new Li Auto vehicles released this year will come standard with LiDAR sensors for their intelligent driving systems.

source: Li Auto

According to information from media sources and industry insiders, the Li Auto i8 is a 6-seater pure electric vehicle, featuring 5C fast charging capability and ultra-low energy consumption. Following the i8, the i6, i7, and i9 models will gradually be unveiled. The appearance of Li Auto's first pure electric SUV, the i8, establishes the design direction for Li's subsequent pure electric SUVs. Following Li Auto's typical approach, the entire i series will likely share the same design language. As Li Auto's new product line, the i series will stand alongside the L series and MEGA, with these three product series collectively forming Li Auto's complete vehicle matrix.

In fact, Li Auto has long planned its pure electric product line, but setbacks with the MEGA affected the launch schedule of subsequent products. However, this delay has also given Li Auto more time to refine its products and build charging stations. By late 2020, Li Auto had already planned to develop pure electric models and was researching supercharging technology at that time. Before deciding to build charging stations, Li Auto conducted market research and found that pure electric vehicle buyers were highly concerned about driving range, charging speed, and charging network density.

Over the past few years, Li Auto has continued to develop its charging network, which will be crucial for the charging experience after the i series achieves large-scale production. Currently, Li Auto has deployed 1,862 supercharging stations nationwide, including Li Auto 5C supercharging stations and urban supercharging stations, as well as 3,044 premium supercharging stations (with peak power ≥200kW). Compared to the 1,405 supercharging stations as of December 25 last year, Li Auto's charging network expansion has been quite impressive, laying the foundation for this year's pure electric product rollout.

In 2024, Li Auto's annual deliveries exceeded 500,000 vehicles, representing a 33.1% year-over-year increase. However, as Li Auto's first pure electric SUV, the i8's launch timeline remains unclear, and it is unlikely to significantly drive sales growth this year. As Li Xiang previously reflected, the company should not focus excessively on sales figures but instead set aside sales ambitions and return to creating user value.

Now, with the release of information about Li Auto's first pure electric SUV, the company's determination to re-enter the pure electric market is further demonstrated.