Li Auto launches 6-seat electric SUV in pre-emptive strike against Tesla in China
Li Auto launched a pre-emptive strike against US rival
Tesla by offering a new six-seat, fully electric SUV to affluent families on the mainland, as competition in the world's largest
automotive market continues to escalate.
Beijing -based Li Auto, one of the only three profitable electric vehicle (EV) makers in mainland China, on Tuesday unveiled the Li i8 – built with autonomous driving technology and a digital cockpit – that would be priced from 321,800 yuan (US$44,889) to 369,800 yuan, with its basic edition able to travel as far as 720km on a single charge.
The Li i8 also comes installed with custom refrigerators and plush sofa-like seats, which are expected to elevate passenger comfort and add another dimension to the features inside a luxury EV.
'Li Auto wants to make itself distinct from other carmakers,' founder and CEO
Li Xiang told the online audience at the Li 18's virtual launch. 'We envision building a mobile home for our clients, creating a comfortable space for them when driving.'
Li Auto, founded in 2015, will start delivering the new vehicle to mainland customers from August 20.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South China Morning Post
8 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
China doubles down on consumer subsidies to spur household spending
The Chinese government has pledged to tackle consumption bottlenecks with a series of support measures , including direct subsidies and efforts to raise incomes, as it seeks to bolster the domestic market amid global volatility. Advertisement To stimulate household spending, Beijing will allocate 69 billion yuan (US$9.5 billion) in ultra-long special treasury bonds to its trade-in programme – which offers substantial discounts on a range of consumer goods – National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) officials announced at a press conference on Thursday. The funds will be issued in October, marking the fourth batch this year and bringing the total to the annual target of 300 billion yuan. 'Consumption is increasingly emerging as a cornerstone of China's economic growth,' said Zhou Chen, an official with the top economic planner. The trade-in programme – a tool used by Chinese authorities to drive consumption – has generated over 1.7 trillion yuan in total sales revenue so far this year, with new energy vehicle sales jumping 40.3 per cent year on year, according to NDRC data. Advertisement National retail sales, a key gauge of consumption, grew 5 per cent year on year in the first half of 2025 – 1.3 percentage points higher than the same period last year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
HKFP
8 hours ago
- HKFP
Nvidia says no ‘backdoors' in chips allowing remote access, as China questions security
Nvidia chips do not contain 'backdoors' allowing remote access, the US tech giant has said, after Beijing summoned company representatives to discuss 'serious security issues'. The California-based company is a world-leading producer of AI semiconductors, and this month became the first company to hit $4 trillion in market value. But it has become entangled in trade tensions between China and the United States, and Washington effectively restricts which chips Nvidia can export to China on national security grounds. 'Cybersecurity is critically important to us. Nvidia does not have 'backdoors' in our chips that would give anyone a remote way to access or control them,' Nvidia said in a statement Thursday. A key issue has been Chinese access to the 'H20' — a less powerful version of Nvidia's AI processing units that the company developed specifically for export to China. Nvidia said this month it would resume H20 sales to China after Washington pledged to remove licensing curbs that had halted exports. But the tech giant still faces obstacles — US lawmakers have proposed plans to require Nvidia and other manufacturers of advanced AI chips to include built-in location tracking capabilities. Beijing's top internet regulator said Thursday it had summoned Nvidia representatives to discuss recently discovered 'serious security issues' involving the H20. The Cyberspace Administration of China said it had asked Nvidia to 'explain the security risks of vulnerabilities and backdoors in its H20 chips sold to China and submit relevant supporting materials'. China is aiming to reduce reliance on foreign tech by promoting Huawei's domestically developed 910C chip as an alternative to the H20, said Jost Wubbeke of the Sinolytics consultancy. 'From that perspective, the US decision to allow renewed exports of the H20 to China could be seen as counterproductive, as it might tempt Chinese hyperscalers to revert to the H20, potentially undermining momentum behind the 910C and other domestic alternatives,' he said. Other hurdles to Nvidia's operations in China are the sputtering economy, beset by a years-long property sector crisis, and heightened trade headwinds under US President Donald Trump. CEO Jensen Huang said during a visit to Beijing this month that the company remained committed to serving local customers, adding that he had been assured during talks with top Chinese officials that the country was 'open and stable'.
South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Chinese EVs are making inroads in Singapore, and here's why
Singaporean financial adviser Winnie Koh faced a dilemma when selecting her family's next car – she appreciated the value for money offered by Chinese electric vehicle ( EV ) brands, but still had lingering concerns about their quality. Advertisement But the 30-year-old said her experience driving a Tesla in the US raised doubts about the brand's battery life and durability, leading her to consider Chinese rival BYD , which was offering incentives such as a 20 per cent discount on charging for three years and support for Singapore 's notoriously expensive Certificate of entitlement ( COE ). 'It is Chinese technology, but that's never really been the problem; the technology out of China has always been good,' she told This Week in Asia, adding that her main concern was whether the manufacturers were cutting corners during production. Koh eventually settled on a BYD in January for S$164,888 (US$127,000), and said she has been pleasantly surprised by its performance and features, including keyless start, a 360-degree camera system and assisted driving. Her decision is emblematic of a broader trend on Singapore's roads, where Chinese electric cars are quickly gaining traction and, often surpassing traditional competitors from Japan Europe , and the US. Financial adviser Winnie Koh bought her BYD Atto 3 in January after being influenced by the vehicle's affordability and the charging promotions available. Photo: Winnie Koh
