Brace yourself for the launch of yet another Chinese carmaker on the market – Li Auto is set to unveil the European version of its electric i6 SUV, which will be badged in the market as the Li 6. 

Li Auto mostly builds large luxury SUV and MPV models and has held from the current wave of Chinese brands pouncing on European sales, but it’s set to announce global expansion plans and the Li 6 at the Paris motor show in October. 

The i6 is powered by an 87kWh LFP battery from CATL that’s rated at 447 miles (720km) of range on the generous CLTC procedure in China, but it would be more likely to achieve around 370 miles (600km) of range on the WLTP standard that’s used in Europe.  

The Chinese version of the car can charge at up to 500kW, which would put it among the most powerful charging EVs in the UK if it were to go on sale with the capability. That level of charging is enough to get the car from 10% to 80% in just 11 minutes. 

The five-seater SUV is Li Auto’s entry model in China, and would go head to head against the likes of the BMW iX3, Tesla Model Y and Volvo EX60. 

It will be interesting to see whether the fancy kit that’s sold with the car in China – air suspension, rear entertainment screens and refrigerator – will make it to European models.

Li Auto was founded in 2015 by Chinese tech entrepreneur Li Xiang, and it has a range of electric models and range extended EVs on sale. 

Another interesting model from the Li Auto portfolio is the Mega, a large MPV that could find its way to Europe too, although it’s not believed to be in initial plans. 

The Mega has just been facelifted in 2026 and manages the impressive job of standing out among Chinese cars in the country’s expansive cities. 

Li Mega is a distinctive sight on Chinese streets – would it even fit on European ones? That could rule it out of an international launch