Chinese premium EV start-up, Li Auto, is looking to enter the UK market by the end of 2026 following its debut at the Paris motor show this October.
Li Auto will debut its sleek i6 SUV in the French capital as its first European model, and has confirmed that sales will begin on the continent in the fourth quarter of this year. Similarly, Li Auto will begin selling the i6 in right-hand-drive (RHD) markets by the end of this year.
While the company did not explicitly state that it would begin exporting to the UK, the country has become a hub for Chinese automakers after Brexit; in March 2026, the Jaecoo 7 was the best-selling car nationwide. This is partly because the UK is no longer part of the European Union and is not required to impose the EU’s additional mandatory import tariffs on Chinese vehicles.
Launched in China last year, the Li Auto i6 became the third-best-selling car in China during the first six months of 2026. Despite its swoopy, aero-focused design, it measures 4,950mm long, placing it firmly in the ballpark of the Volvo EX60, the BMW iX3, and the Mercedes GLC.
The Li Auto i6 is powered by an 87kWh battery, with a claimed range of 447 miles on China’s generous CLTC efficiency cycle. Using Europe’s equivalent WLTP system, that comes to around 395 miles. Charging speed is also quoted at a lightning-fast 500kW. Underneath, the Li Auto i6 comes with two powertrains: a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive layout with 335bhp, or a twin-motor, all-wheel-drive system with 536bhp.
Li Auto hopes that the i6’s raft of tech will attract European buyers away from legacy brands. In China, standard equipment includes a 16-inch dual touchscreen up front, plus a 21-inch drop-down screen in the back with flexible MPV-style seating. The Chinese market car is described by Li Auto as a ‘leisure base camp’ with a rear table, a rear fridge that runs its own heating and cooling system separately from the i6’s HVAC system, and a passenger seat that transforms into a bed.
The frunk, meanwhile, doubles as a sink with drainage, and the boot is claimed to offer up to 728 litres of space, with a separate storage area under the floor.
Li Auto began manufacturing cars in 2019. Its debut vehicles were extended-range SUVs, which paired a battery with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. Its first EV was the Mega MPV, which arrived in 2024. Since its foundation, Li Auto has sold over 1.8 million cars, according to company figures.
