The Li Auto i8 electric SUV just hit the Chinese market, starting at 321,800 yuan, which is about 44,830 USD. This new SUV promises a compelling blend of power, range, and advanced features, packing a dual-chamber air suspension, 536 horsepower, and a CLTC range of up to 720 kilometers. It is a really exciting entry into the increasingly competitive Chinese EV landscape.
The i8 was originally slated for a launch last year, intended to mark a significant shift for Li Auto towards battery electric vehicles. However, the company wisely decided to hold off, particularly after their first BEV, the Mega, saw lower than expected sales. This delay allowed Li Auto to fine-tune the i8, first revealing it in February 2025 and opening for pre-sales in July. Now, it’s officially here, and people are taking notice.
Exterior Design: Yacht-Inspired, SUV Versatility
Li Auto CEO Li Xiang says the i8’s exterior styling pulls inspiration from yachts. You can see it in the slanted bonnet and the sleek LED strip beneath the windshield, with headlights cleverly integrated into the front bumper. The sloped A-pillars give it a modern, aerodynamic look, and a LiDAR sensor on the roof hints at its advanced driver assistance capabilities. Other neat touches include flush door handles and a blacked-out roof and pillars. The rear design echoes Li Auto’s L-series range-extended crossovers, with sculpted fenders and a minimalist single taillight.
While some say the i8’s styling leans a bit too close to an MPV, Li Auto stands firm, calling it a true sport utility vehicle that cleverly combines elements from MPVs, off-roaders, and even sedans. To back up its off-road chops, Li Auto even showcased a video of the i8 tackling a 31-degree slope, which is quite impressive for a family SUV.
Dimensions, Chassis, and a Smooth Ride
The Li Auto i8 is a substantial vehicle, measuring 5085 mm long, 1960 mm wide, and 1740 mm tall, with a spacious 3,050 mm wheelbase. To put it in perspective, it is a bit longer and taller than a Tesla Model X. More impressively, the i8 boasts a drag coefficient of 0.218 Cd. This is better than the Model X’s 0.240 Cd and even edges out the Tesla Model Y’s 0.220 Cd. A lower drag coefficient means quieter rides and better energy efficiency on the highway, which is a win-win for any EV owner.
Beneath the skin, the i8 features a dual-chamber air suspension system that can adjust ride height by 65 mm, providing a respectable 195 mm of ground clearance. A continuous damping system ensures a comfortable ride, while a double wishbone independent suspension up front and a five-link independent suspension at the rear, combined with aluminum suspension arms and hydraulic bushings, promise excellent handling. The i8’s torsional rigidity is an impressive 49,500 Nm/degree, and 95% of its body is covered in acoustic materials, making for a remarkably quiet cabin. The car even completed an emergency lane change test at 130 km/h, further demonstrating its stability and handling prowess.
Safety First: Crash Tests and Smart Tech
Li Auto took safety seriously with the i8. They conducted multiple crash tests, including one involving an 8-ton truck, which the SUV passed with flying colors. With nine airbags and automatic pop-out door handles after a collision, occupant safety is a clear priority. The battery’s integrity is also top-notch, enduring 10 days underwater, 24 hours at minus 40 degrees Celsius, 130 seconds of burning, and even a 10-meter drop without significant damage. That’s seriously robust.
The standard roof-mounted LiDAR sensor contributes to the i8’s strong performance in automated emergency steering tests. The SUV also incorporates a Vision-Language-Action (VLA) model, allowing it to analyze its surroundings and learn driver habits, enabling voice commands for tasks like returning to a starting point, setting speed limits, or even parking next to a described vehicle. Plus, the “Lixiang Tongxue” voice assistant offers AI-based dialogue capabilities, something found across many Li Auto models.
Interior Comfort: Space for Everyone
The i8’s interior is designed for comfort and versatility, featuring a 2+2+2 seating layout. Ambient lighting and soft headrest pillows in the first and second rows elevate the cabin experience. With an interior length of 3,514 mm, it offers more space than even a Mercedes-Benz GLS. The second-row captain chairs recline up to 145 degrees and include power-elongated leg rests with a 78-degree maximum angle, plus a zero-gravity mode for ultimate relaxation and spinal stress relief. Even the third-row seats are comfortable, with ample legroom at 875 mm, surpassing the Li Auto L9 EREV crossover’s 799 mm. A ceiling-mounted rear screen and a built-in refrigerator further enhance the luxury feel.
Additionally, the i8’s third-row seats offer impressive dimensions with a cushion length of 503 mm, a width of 544 mm, and a thickness of 100 mm, all exceeding those of the Tesla Model Y’s second-row seats. The trunk, even with the third row in use, provides a 565 mm depth, perfect for suitcases or a folding table. Other interior highlights include cooled wireless charging pads, a speaker positioned in front of the driver, and a sunroof that blocks 99.9% of UV rays. The center console features two sharp 15.7-inch screens. Notably, it’s one of the first cars to sport a white steering wheel. With double-layer glass for the windshield, side windows, and sunroof, the cabin remains serenely quiet, clocking in at just 63.2 dB at 120 km/h.
Powertrain: Efficient Dual-Motor Performance
The Li Auto i8 comes standard with a dual-motor 4WD system. Its electric motors are equipped with in-house developed SiC (silicon carbide) power modules that reduce driving noise by 3.5 dB, resulting in a whisper-quiet 30 decibels, quieter than a refrigerator. These modules also contribute to greater energy efficiency and stronger power output.
Total power output hits 400 kW (536 hp) and 660 Nm of torque, putting it on par with cars like the first-generation Zeekr 001 electric liftback. The front motor produces 150 kW (201 hp) and the rear a hearty 250 kW (335 hp). The i8 can go from 0 to 100 km/h in a swift 4.5 seconds, even reaching it in 5 seconds with a 20% battery charge. Energy consumption is efficient, hovering between 14.6 and 14.8 kWh/100km depending on the battery.
The base model features a 90.1 kWh ternary NMC battery, delivering a 670 km CLTC range. The top-tier offers a larger 97.8 kWh NMC pack for an impressive 720 km range. Both batteries support 5C fast charging thanks to an 800V high-voltage system, allowing them to add 500 km of range in just ten minutes, easily leveraging Li Auto’s vast network of 3,000 charging stations across China.
Real-world tests by Autohome showed the i8 reaching 668.4 km in urban driving, 92.8% of its claimed CLTC range. At 120 km/h, it managed 417.4 km, roughly 58% of the CLTC figure, performing slightly better than the Tesla Model Y in similar conditions on China’s highways.
Pricing and Availability
The Li i8 Pro, with its 90.1 kWh battery, 20 speakers, and first and second-row seat massage, starts at 321,800 yuan (44,830 USD). The Li i8 Max, with a 97.8 kWh battery and the AD Max ADAS system, is priced at 349,800 yuan (48,730 USD). The top-trim Li i8 Ultra, featuring 22 speakers and a 21.4-inch ceiling display, costs 369,800 yuan (51,520 USD). There is currently a temporary discount of 10,000 yuan (1,400 USD). Deliveries are set to begin on August 20. Li Auto has delivered 1,360,000 cars since its launch, with the L6 EREV SUV being its current bestseller, moving 96,354 units in the first half of 2025. This shows a company that knows how to deliver what customers want, and the i8 looks ready to continue that trend.
