On a hot summer’s day, I went to a Li Auto dealer in Beijing to check out the new i8 SUV and the brand’s many other models. It was about 35 degrees Celsius outside, so I was happy to step inside the ice-cold shop.
Li Auto sells cars in 3 ways:
- online
- via experience stores, mostly in shopping malls.
- via dealers. These dealers usually combine a sales center, a delivery center, and a maintenance center.
The dealer I went to is in a large car market in eastern Beijing. The market has everything: dealers, second-hand cars, repair shops, and tuning businesses. The Li dealer is in a large one-storey building, with an enormous Li logo above the entrance. There was a Li MEGA parked next to the door. Well, that’s a good start!
About names: in English, the car maker’s name is Li Auto. The brand is Li. So, it’s a Li Auto dealer and a Li i8 SUV. The Chinese name is 理想 (Lǐxiǎng, Li) or 理想汽车 (Lǐxiǎng Qìchē, Li Auto) in full.
Lots of space inside the building, so it was easy to walk around the cars and check ‘m out from every side. The light was perfect, there was music, but not too loud, and a friendly staffer handed me a nearly-frozen bottle of water. The staff was super friendly, they showed me around, and kindly answered all my stupid questions.
The Li i8
The Li i8 is the brand’s first full-electric SUV. It is also Li’s second electric car, after the Li MEGA. Li’s other cars are EREVs. The direction is interesting: at the moment, many Chinese brands go from EV-only to EV and PHEV/EREV. Li goes the other way: from EREV-only to EREV and EV.
There are more differences. Most recently launched SUVs have a rather traditional design. The i8, however, is all but traditional. It has a daring MPV-like one-box design, with a super short hood that morphs into the A-pillar. The belt line is perfectly straight, with a long, slightly bent roof line. The rear overhang is notably long as well, especially for an electric car. The 255/50 R20 tires seem small for such a large vehicle.
The interior of the Li i8
The interior is typical Li, and that is a bit of a disappointment. Li Auto had the chance to do something different here, but the i8 has the same dashboard setup as all the other models. Even the 4.82-inch driver’s display on the steering wheel and the twin 15.7-inch touch screen are the same as always. That’s notable because many other Chinese car makers have since upgraded their screens to much larger single-piece units.
The Li i8 is a six-seat car. There are two wide captain seats in the second row, with armrests, leg rests, tray tables, and a 21.4-inch fold-down screen. The screen is not deployed here; it sits between the sunroof and the panoramic sunroof.
Specifications of the Li i8
There’s one more unusual thing about the i8. Most competitors offer many variants of their SUVs, with different powertrains and trim levels. Li, however, offers just one variant of the i8. No choice/no need to choose. It has a dual-motor AWD setup, with 400 kW (544 hp) and 660 Nm. The top speed is limited to 180 km/h, and 0-100 takes 4.5s. It has a 97.8 kWh CATL NMC battery pack for a 720-km range. Charging (5C, 800V) takes 12 minutes. The Li i8 costs 339.800 yuan or $47.7K.
Li MEGA
The Li MEGA is a large MPV with a wild and super sleek design, with a drag coefficient of only 0.215 Cd. Li launched the MEGA in 2024. The car in the photos is the new Li MEGA Home Edition, which launched in the spring of 2025.
The seats in the second row of the MEGA Home Edition can rotate; that’s not possible with the standard MEGA. Also, the front passenger seat is now equipped with a leg rest. The power train is the same.
It was quiet when I visited, which was a bit odd. It was on the weekend, early afternoon. I did expect to see more people. The plants are real. Many other car dealers use fake plants.
The naked body of the MEGA is on full display. Note the castor wheels underneath the body. It can’t drive, but it can move!
The Li EREV SUVs
Li Auto sells four EREV SUVs: the L6, L7, L8, and L9. They are getting a little old compared to recently launched EREVs by competing brands. All share the same platform, the same power trains, and the same “Future Avant-Garde” design language. If you are not a Li Auto specialist, it is hard to keep them apart. They are similar in size, too. Let’s compare:
L6: 4925/1960/1735, 4925. Five seats.
L7: 5050/1995/1750, 3005. Five seats.
L8: 5080/1995/1800, 3005. Six seats.
L9: 5218/1998/1800, 3105. Six seats.
Only the L9 is significantly larger, but most of the extra length sits behind the rear axle. The L7 and L8 are nearly the same car. Strangely, Li doesn’t offer a seven-seat version of any of the EREV SUVs.
The Li L6
Li launched the L6 in 2024. The L6 is the only Li with a length under five meters. The car in the photos is painted in Azure Blue, which is the wildest color Li has ever put on a car. The other colors are various shades of gray, black, and gold.
Did I mention that the dashboard design is the same, too? Well, it is.
Colors for the Li L6
Each EREV has a power train combining a 1.5 turbo with two electric motors. Let’s have a look:
L6: 113 kW 1.5 turbo + 300 kW/530 Nm electric motors.
L7: 113 kW 1.5 turbo + 330 kW/620 Nm electric motors.
L8: 113 kW 1.5 turbo + 330 kW/620 Nm electric motors.
L9: 113 kW 1.5 turbo + 330 kW/620 Nm electric motors.
Yes, the L7/L8/L9 use the same power train. The L6 has the same 1.5 turbo, but slightly less powerful electric motors.
The Li L7
The L7 launched in 2023, with updates in 2024 and 2025. The 2025 update included a new ADAS with a lidar on the roof.
Benjamin Baum is the chief designer at Li Auto. He previously worked for Porsche, where he was responsible for the 992 911. This might explain everything. The basic design of the Porsche 911 has never changed. So, perhaps Mr. Baum brought that philosophy to Li Auto, designing four SUVs that look exactly the same.
Did I mention…? Never mind!
Let’s compare the fuel tank, batteries, and range.
L6: 60 liter, 36 kWh. EV range: 212 km. Combined range: 1390 km.
L7: 65 liter, 42.8 kWh (EV range: 225 km. Combined: 1360) or 52.3 kWh (EV range: 286 km. Combined: 1421 km).
L8: 65 liter, 42.8 kWh (EV range: 225 km. Combined: 1360) or 52.3 kWh (EV range: 280 km. Combined: 1415 km).
L9: 65 liter, 52.3 kWh. EV range: 280 km. Combined range: 1412 km.
I am fascinated by the L6’s fuel tank. Its capacity is 60 liters, 5 less than the rest. Why..?
The screen showed Li Auto’s charging network. The ceiling was quite high for a car dealer. With a bit of work, they can put a second floor on the building. All four tables were empty.
Charging at Li Auto
Li Auto operates a charging network in China with 3.424 charging stations. “5C” is a standard for a charging speed of about 12 minutes. But that only works with cars with an 800V architecture; the Li 8 and the Li MEGA. For those cars, Li Auto claims a charging speed of “500 km in 10 minutes”. The EREVs, however, use an older 400V architecture. The charging 30-80% time for the EREV SUVs ranges between 20 and 25 minutes.
Li L8
And here’s the Li L8, launched in 2022 with an update in 2025. The light bar is a typical design element of Li Auto; it really looks quite cool. The L8 has the same interior as the rest, so I didn’t bother to take a photo.
For the final comparison, let’s take a look at price and sales. In August 2025, Li Auto sold 28.529 cars in China, good for the 24th place in the sales rankings. That is a new low-sales record. Just a year ago, Li Auto took the 11th spot. The main reason for the decline is the increasing competition in the EREV segment, and the lack of really new EREV models at Li Auto.
Base price in $, sales, and sales percentage in AUG 2025:
L6: $33.6K. 11.217, 39.32%.
L7: $41K. 5318, 18.86%.
L9: $56K. 3959, 13.88%.
MEGA: $74K. 3121, 10.94%
L8: $44K. 2639, 9.25%.
i8: $47.7K. 2212, 7.75%.
The L6 is by far the most popular model. It is also the cheapest. The L8 is the least popular EREV SUV. The i8 is brand new, so we’ll have to wait a few months before it really starts to count in the overall sales numbers. The L7 and the L8 are way too close in size and power, but the L8 is still $3K more expensive. No wonder it sells so badly!
Li L9
The big boy, the Li L9, was painted in “Green”. Li doesn’t do fancy color names, unlike most other Chinese brands. Li’s color names are purely factual: Green, Gold, White, etcetera.
I know, the dashboard is the same again, but I really liked the “Black Orange” interior. Nappa leather, with aluminium trim. Beautiful!
Another L9. It’s an impressive car. Li launched the L9 back in 2022, with an update in 2025.
Note the 3M tape around the gray box. Inside the box is a fire extinguisher. In the background are yet more empty meeting spaces, with sofas and tables. The screens showed Li Auto commercials.
Well, it was time to leave. It was a good visit. A nice building, friendly staff, and the cars were easily accessible. However, I am worried about Li Auto. I can understand why sales are going down. There isn’t much innovation on the EREV side, and the EVs are perhaps a little too different. The emptiness inside, dealer, in a busy dealer area, was not a good sign. Let’s hope Li Auto can turn things around again.
One thought on “Li Auto Dealer Visit In China: New EVs And Aging EREVs”