Li Auto Pushes 2026 i6 Launch to Late October, Keeps Early November Deliveries

• Li Auto said the adjustment aims to shorten customers' waits after ordering. Reservations were previously scheduled to open in late September.
• The updated Li i6 electric SUV will feature an in-house-developed 5C battery and Mach assisted driving chip.

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) has moved the launch of the 2026 Li i6 to late October while keeping deliveries scheduled for early November, aiming to shorten customers' waits after placing orders.

Li Xinyang, head of product lines at the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker, announced the schedule on Weibo on Wednesday. Reservations for the battery electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) were originally set to open in late September.

Li said the company adjusted the launch schedule after gathering extensive customer feedback, seeking to avoid long waits between ordering and delivery.

The change affects the vehicle's launch timing, while the delivery schedule remains unchanged. Li Auto previously announced reservation and delivery plans for the updated Li i6 on September 7.

The 2026 Li i6 will feature Li Auto's in-house-developed 5C battery and Mach assisted-driving chip as part of the company's broader adoption of internally developed core components.

The vehicle has completed regulatory filings in China and will be available in single-motor and dual-motor all-wheel-drive versions. It retains the existing design language while adopting semi-recessed door handles.

The Li i6, a 5-seat battery electric SUV first launched in September 2025, has become a major contributor to Li Auto's deliveries.

Li i6 deliveries totaled 16,979 in August, up 10.11% from July and accounting for 45.06% of Li Auto's total deliveries that month, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

The model delivered 152,842 vehicles in the first 8 months of this year, bringing cumulative deliveries since launch to 181,813 by the end of August.

The SUV previously faced battery supply bottlenecks. In January, Li Auto delayed deliveries of some Li i6 orders because of battery shortages and sought to steer customers toward versions with different batteries to shorten waiting times.

Li Auto is expanding the use of its in-house-developed batteries across more models. The company said on September 7 that the batteries were already used in the Li L8, Li L6 and Li i8, with plans to extend them to its entire lineup.

Meanwhile, the Li i6 is also a key model in Li Auto's European expansion. The company previously announced that the European version would debut as the Li 6 at the Paris Motor Show in October, where it will outline its plans for the region.