- Li Auto marked i6 production hitting 200,000 units as it launched the 2026 refresh, reflecting a strategic push to boost volumes and defend share amid slowing overall deliveries.
- The 2026 i6 is priced at RMB 249,800 (about $37,500) with an introductory RMB 239,800 (about $36,000), gains a 96 kWh Lianshan 5C battery and a CLTC range of 780 km, with deliveries starting early November.
- The i6 targets mid-size EV/EREV buyers and European expansion, but execution risks include meeting seven-to-eight week delivery promises, scaling monthly output to 20,000 units, and broader demand softness.
Li Auto’s 200,000th i6 rolled off the production line on October 30, Li Xinyang, head of the automaker’s product line, announced on social media.
He also said the Li Auto L6 had reached its 420,000th unit, while retaining its position as the best-selling extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) for a second consecutive month.
The i6 reached the production milestone just two days after the launch of its 2026 model. Li Auto officially introduced the updated i6 on October 28.
The 2026 i6 is priced at RMB 249,800 ($37,500) nationwide, with a limited-time introductory price of RMB 239,800 ($36,000). Deliveries are scheduled to begin in early November.
The annual update brings changes to the lighting system, front trunk, seats, displays, driving range and chips, among other areas.
One of the most significant upgrades is the adoption of Li Auto’s in-house-developed 96 kWh Lianshan 5C ultra-fast-charging battery, which increases the model’s maximum CLTC-rated range to 780 km.
Alongside the launch, Li Auto has also signaled an improvement in production capacity.
Li said the company had prepared some inventory of the updated i6 in advance and began rolling out deliveries across China on October 29.
The current estimated delivery lead time is seven to eight weeks, with customers expected to receive their vehicles before the end of the year.
Under the production plan, monthly output is expected to reach 20,000 units in November and increase further in December.
The i6 has become one of Li Auto’s main sales drivers since its launch in late September last year, with deliveries ramping up rapidly.
Retail data from CPCA show that Li Auto delivered a cumulative 160,221 i6 units from January to September 2026, averaging about 17,800 units per month.
The model accounted for approximately 55% of the company’s total deliveries over the same period.
According to the company, cumulative deliveries of the previous-generation i6 approached 190,000 units in the first year since its launch.
However, strong sales of a single model have not fully offset the pressure on Li Auto’s overall deliveries.
In September 2026, Li Auto delivered 31,817 vehicles, down 6.29% year on year and 15.56% month on month.
The i6 refresh and production ramp-up therefore matter not only for the model’s own delivery performance but also for Li Auto’s sales in the coming quarters.
Overseas markets could provide another source of growth for the i6.
On October 12, Li Auto unveiled its European market strategy at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, where the i6 made its European debut under the name Li 6.
Li Auto plans to enter Europe in the first quarter of 2027, initially launching the Li 6 in Norway and the Netherlands and beginning deliveries in both markets.
The company intends to expand into other European countries afterward.
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