Li Auto prepares its entry into Europe with an electric SUV featuring 544 HP, a 96 kWh battery, and a range of 680 km.

Li Auto is one of China’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers and one of the few pioneers that did not have expansion plans in Europe. Until now. The brand has used the Paris Motor Show to confirm its international expansion plans, which include Europe.

The brand, known in China for its large family-sized models equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, is preparing a gradual entry into the European continent. Its strategy involves adapting its offerings to meet the needs of each country, starting with markets where electric vehicles are more widely adopted before expanding to other territories.

The manufacturer has confirmed that it will officially enter Europe in the first quarter of 2027.

Li Auto i6: an electric SUV designed for European families

Li Auto’s president and CEO, Li Xiang, has stated that the company aims to enter each market only when it is ready to offer a product tailored to those markets’ needs. He noted that the company’s ties to Europe date back to its early years, when it still operated under the name Chehejia and was developing a small electric vehicle designed to meet European L6e regulations.

Ten years later, the company returns to Paris with a much more ambitious lineup and aims to compete in one of the world’s most demanding markets. To prepare for this expansion, Li Auto opened its first research and development center outside China in Munich in January 2025, a move designed to strengthen its ability to adapt its vehicles to European requirements.

The Li 6 will be one of the stars of this offensive. The brand claims that the model has sold over 190,000 units in China during its first year on the market and has remained among the top three best-selling electric cars in its price segment, above 200,000 yuan, for eight consecutive months. Its design combines generous dimensions with a particularly well-crafted interior, though the brand has also taken into account the narrow streets and parking difficulties common in European historic centers.

In terms of design, the 2026 model features minor changes aimed at aligning its appearance with that of other recent vehicles from the brand, such as the Li Auto L9 and i9. The front end adopts a more consistent design with the rest of the series, while the ADB matrix headlights are taken from the Li Auto Mega. It also features partially hidden door handles that meet China’s latest regulatory requirements, along with an electric front trunk that can be opened via voice commands, touch controls, or from a smartphone.

The SUV is 4.95 meters long, 1.94 meters wide, and 1.66 meters high, with a wheelbase of 3.00 meters. The range includes 20 and 21 inch tires, offering two options that allow drivers to choose between a more comfort-oriented setup and one with a sportier appearance. In terms of size, it falls into a highly competitive category in Europe, where it will have to compete with models from Chinese and European manufacturers offering an increasingly broad range of options.

The interior is one of the areas where Li Auto aims to stand out. The dashboard features a 29-inch panoramic screen with 6K resolution for the front seats, while passengers in the second row have another 21-inch screen with 4K resolution for entertainment. The design is clearly geared toward family travel, with a focus on the comfort of rear passengers.

The front seats can recline up to 150 degrees and come equipped with a massage function using 18 pressure points in the lumbar, back, and hip areas. The armrests offer four adjustment positions, while the rear seats include executive-style seats that can recline up to 140 degrees and feature armrests to enhance comfort during long trips.

In terms of technology, the Li Auto i6 features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8797 processor to handle multimedia functions, navigation, and voice commands. Driving assistance is managed by its own Mach M100 chip, with a claimed computing power of 1,280 TOPS. These specifications place its electronic components among the core elements of its offering, though it remains to be seen which functions will be available in Europe and how they will adapt to local regulatory requirements.

The brand also highlights its own development of battery systems, covering everything from cells to packs and the BMS management system. The version equipped with a 96 kWh battery claims a range of 780 kilometers according to the Chinese CLTC cycle. Based on our estimates, this figure would be around 680 kilometers under the European WLTP cycle, though we’ll have to wait for the final approval to know the actual range of the version sold in our continent.

The system supports ultra-fast charging at up to 5C, a feature that indicates reduced charging times when using a compatible station. So far, Li Auto has not provided details on the maximum DC charging power, the time required to recharge, or the specific approval requirements for Europe.

The mechanical range includes versions with one and two electric motors. The base model delivers 250 kW (340 HP), while the two-motor configuration combines a 150 kW (204 HP) front unit with a 250 kW (340 HP) rear unit. The combined power of this setup reaches 400 kW (544 HP), although acceleration figures and other performance details for the European market versions have not yet been disclosed.

Li Auto has not yet announced the prices of the i6 for Europe. It also hasn’t confirmed which versions will be available initially, a crucial factor in determining the model’s position against its competitors. The company must finalize these details before delivery begins, scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, when we’ll be able to see if its combination of space, features, and range can secure a spot among European family cars.