Chinese manufacturer Li Auto has confirmed its presence at this year’s Paris Motor Show in October. It will show the European version of its electric Li i6 SUV, and detail its further plans for the brand.
There seems to be no end to the number of Chinese manufacturers wanting to expand to Europe. Next in line is Li Auto, a ‘premium’ brand which first appeared in 2015 and started producing cars in 2019.
Li Auto focused strongly on EREV cars, untill it launched its first electric model in 2023, the Li Mega. The minivan was followed by the Li i8 electric SUV and more recently the i6 SUV. The latter, a mid-size SUV, is crossing to the Paris Motor Show and will be the first model for the brand in Europe.
Which countries first?
The ‘Mondial de l’Auto’ will also serve as the official stage for Li Auto’s global full product lineup and market rollout plans, including the European strategy.
Li Auto announced their presence in Paris during the Dutch leg of the Solheim golf tournament, where a fleet of Chinese Li 6 SUV’s were used as official courtesy transport for players, officials, and VIP guests. A Mega was also on display.
In Li Auto’s official communication, the electric i6 was referred to as the Li 6. This might be an indication that, at least for the European market, the company will drop the letter i from its electric model names. Perhaps an issue with BMW which also uses it on its electric range? EREV model names start with an L, but those are expected to make inroads in other regions.
While the Li 6 is confirmed to be the first Li model on our continent, the brand has not yet confirmed which European countries will be first on the list when the car comes to market at the end of the year.
The Netherlands are expected to be among the first, given the partnership with Solheim. At IFA Berlin, the company also signed a memorandum of understanding with a number of German dealer groups.
European specs
In Paris, the Chinese brand will offer more details on the European specifications of the Li 6 and whether these differ from the Chinese models.
In China, the Li 6 offers a 250 kW front motor and a 150 kW rear motor. The car uses 800V technology and a 87 kWh LFP battery, giving it a range of 720 km according to the generous CLTC cycle. High-speed 5C DC charging from 10 to 95% only takes 15 minutes according to the company.
