The Li Auto i8 electrical SUV was launched in China with a beginning value of 321,800 yuan (44,830 USD). It presents a dual-chamber air suspension, 536 hp, and as much as 720 km of CLTC vary.
The Li i8 is a long-anticipated SUV that was initially set to launch final 12 months to stress the model’s shift in the direction of battery electrical autos. Nonetheless, this mannequin’s market entry was postponed resulting from low gross sales numbers of Li’s first BEV, known as Mega. The Li Auto i8 was first revealed in China in February 2025. It utilized for a gross sales license in April. In mid-July, the i8 began presales in China with an approximate value vary of 350,000 – 400,000 yuan (48,760 – 55,730 USD). On July 29, this mannequin made a market entry.
Exterior
In line with Li Auto CEO Li Xiang, the i8’s exterior styling was impressed by Yachts. It has a slanted bonnet, headlights built-in into the entrance bumper, and an LED strip below the windshield. The automobile has sloped A-pillars and a LiDAR sensor on the roof. Different options of the Li Auto i8 are flush door handles, blackened pillars, and a roof. The rear finish of the Li Auto i8 is much like the L-series range-extended crossovers. It has extensive sculpted fenders, a single taillight unit, and a easy bumper.
Styling of the Li i8 turned some extent of argument because it appears to be like much like MPVs. Nonetheless, the corporate officers mentioned that this mannequin is a sport utility automobile that merges design parts of MPVs, off-roaders, and sedans. To show the automobile’s off-road capabilities, Li Auto confirmed a clip of a automobile driving up a 31-degree slope.
Dimensions and chassis
The Li Auto i8 boasts dimensions of 5085/1960/1740 mm with a wheelbase of three,050 mm. For readability, it’s 49 mm longer, 39 mm narrower, and 56 mm greater than the Tesla Mannequin X. The i8’s drag coefficient is 0.218 Cd. It’s higher than the talked about Mannequin X with a drag coefficient of 0.240 Cd. Furthermore, it’s barely higher than the Tesla Mannequin Y with 0.220 Cd. The decrease Cd quantity interprets into quieter rides and decrease power consumption on highways.
The Li i8’s chassis has a dual-chamber air suspension that may be adjusted by 65 mm. Its floor clearance reaches 195 mm. One other function is a steady damping system. It has a double wishbone impartial suspension within the entrance axle and a five-link impartial suspension within the rear. This mannequin adopts aluminum suspension arms and hydraulic bushings.
The i8’s torsional rigidity reaches 49,500 Nm/diploma. Its body-in-white is roofed by acoustic supplies by 95%. The Li Auto i8 accomplished the emergency lane change take a look at at a velocity of 130 km/h, proving its dealing with.
Security
To show the i8’s security, Li Auto organized a number of crash checks with an 8-ton truck colliding with this SUV. The brand new automobile handed all of the crash checks. It has 9 airbags to make sure the protection of the motive force and passengers. Its door handles come out robotically after the collision.
To substantiate the battery’s tightness, firm representatives stored the battery in working situation below water for 10 days. The pack additionally spent 24 hours in a chamber with a temperature of minus 40 levels Celsius. The battery was additionally burning for 130 seconds and was dropped from a peak of 10 meters with out severe penalties.
The Li Auto i8 adopts the roof-mounted LiDAR sensor as commonplace. Due to this sensor, the i8 carried out properly in automated emergency steering (AES) checks. The i8 adopts the Imaginative and prescient-Language-Motion (VLA) mannequin that enables autos to investigate environment and develop reminiscence driving habits. A driver can function the automobile by voice. For instance, the motive force can ask the automobile to return to the beginning spot, set the velocity restrict, or park subsequent to a described automobile.
The Li Auto i8 additionally helps the voice assistant known as “Lixiang Tongxue” (Li Auto Classmate). It’s an AI-based mannequin that has numerous capabilities. It is usually able to conducting a dialogue. Different Li-branded fashions additionally help this perform.
Inside
The Li Auto i8’s inside has a 2+2+2 format. It adopts ambient lighting and tender pillows on the entrance and the second-row seats’ headrests. The automobile’s size of inside house reaches 3,514 mm. It’s 91 mm longer than the inside size of the Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Its second-row captain chairs can recline to 145 levels. One other function is a power-elongated leg relaxation with a most angle of 78 levels. Additionally they help a zero-gravity mode that relieves stress from the backbone. The third-row seats of the Li i8 have a peak of 333 mm. Passengers right here have 875 mm of leg room. For comparability, the full-size Li Auto L9 EREV crossover presents solely 799 mm of legroom for the third-row passengers. Different advantages embrace a ceiling-mounted rear display and a built-in fridge.
The cushion size of the i8’s third-row seats reaches 503 mm. It’s 8 mm longer than the Tesla Mannequin Y’s second-row seats. The cushion width is 544 mm (35 mm wider than the Mannequin Y). And the cushion thickness is 100 mm (5 mm greater than the Mannequin Y). The trunk of the Li i8 with the third row seats presents a depth of 565 mm. It is sufficient to retailer some suitcases and a folding desk that could possibly be positioned between the second-row captain chairs.
The Li i8’s inside has cooled wi-fi charging pads, a speaker in entrance of the motive force, and a sunroof that blocks 99.9% of UV rays. The middle console has two 15.7-inch screens. It is usually the primary automobile with a white steering wheel. This automobile adopts a double-layer windshield, facet home windows, and a sunroof. The noise degree within the Li Auto i8 cabin at a velocity of 120 km/h is 63.2 dB.
Powertrain
The Li Auto i8 presents a dual-motor 4WD as commonplace. Its electrical motors undertake in-house developed SiC (silicon carbide) energy modules. In line with the automaker, these modules scale back noise whereas driving by 3.5 dB. These electrical motors’ noise degree reaches 30 decibels, which is decrease than the noise of a working fridge. Furthermore, they’re mentioned to be extra power environment friendly, leading to decrease power consumption and stronger energy output.
The Li i8’s peak energy output reaches 400 kW (536 hp). For readability, it’s according to the first-generation Zeekr 001 electrical liftback accessible for buy in Europe. The i8’s entrance motor generates 150 kW (201 hp), and the rear one has an output of 250 kW (335 hp). Its mixed peak torque is 660 Nm. The Li Auto i8 has a prime velocity of 180 km/h. Its zero-to-hundred acceleration time is 4.5 seconds. With a battery discharged to twenty%, it speeds as much as 100 km/h in 5 seconds. The automobile’s power consumption lies in a 14.6 – 14.8 kWh/100km vary, relying on the battery choice.
The entry-level Li i8 has a 90.1 kWh ternary NMC battery on board, appropriate for 670 km of CLTC vary. The highest-trim mannequin presents a bigger 97.8 kWh NMC pack or 720 km of vary. Its batteries help the 5C quick charging perform, because of an 800V high-voltage system. They’ll cost 500 km of vary in ten minutes. Li Auto presently operates 3,000 charging stations with 16,000 piles in China.
In real-world testing held by Autohome, the Li i8’s vary reached 668.4 km within the city driving state of affairs. It’s 92.8% of the claimed CLTC quantity. On the velocity of 120 km/h, the Li Auto i8 ran 417.4 km. It’s 58% of the CLTC quantity. For comparability, the Tesla Mannequin Y’s vary at 120 km/h was 407.4 km. It’s price mentioning that 120 km/h is the utmost permissible velocity on Chinese language highways.
Costs
Li i8 Professional prices 321,800 yuan (44,830 USD). It has a 90.1 kWh battery, 20 audio system, and the first-row and second-row seat therapeutic massage. The Li i8 Max prices 349,800 yuan (48,730 USD). It has an even bigger 97.8 kWh battery and the AD Max ADAS system. The highest-trim Li i8 Extremely with 22 audio system and a 21.4-inch ceiling-mounted show is priced at 369,800 yuan (51,520 USD). The Li i8 is on a short lived low cost of 10,000 yuan (1,400 USD). Deliveries begin on August 20.
Li Auto has delivered 1,360,000 automobiles to shoppers ten years after its launch. Its present bestselling mannequin is the L6 EREV SUV. It delivered 96,354 items within the first half of 2025.
