<div id="readability-page-1"><blockquote><ul><li>Li Auto will launch the new i9 pure electric flagship SUV in the second half of this year to enrich its BEV product matrix.</li><li>Positioned as the pure electric flagship of the family lineup, the i9 is expected to be physically larger than the existing i8 model.</li></ul></blockquote><figure id="attachment_137666"><img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026031213534980.jpg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="1600" height="900" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026031213534980.jpg"/><figcaption id="caption-attachment-137666">(File photo shows a Li i8. Image credit: Li Auto)</figcaption></figure><p>Li Auto will release its i9 flagship electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) in the second half of this year, as the Chinese automaker seeks to revive its sales momentum after a challenging year.</p><p>Li Xiang, the company's founder, chairman and CEO, announced the plan during an earnings call on Thursday, saying the i9 will further enrich its battery electric vehicle (BEV) product matrix and meet diverse user needs.</p><p>&#34;The year 2026 will be a crucial year for Li Auto to evolve into an embodied AI enterprise. Faced with intensifying competition in the NEV market, we will be committed to raising our technological moat,&#34; the Li Auto CEO said.</p>    <div>        <p><span>Join us on </span>            Telegram            <span> or </span>            Google News        </p>    </div><p>Positioned as the pure electric flagship model of the family lineup, the upcoming i9 is expected to be physically larger than the existing i8 model.</p><p>The Li i8 measures 5,085 millimeters in length and features a wheelbase of 3,050 mm.</p><p>The upcoming rollout of the i9 is a key component of Li Auto's 2026 strategy, with the company having set a target to achieve a 20% year-on-year growth in vehicle deliveries this year.</p><p>The growth target implies the company is aiming to deliver about 490,000 vehicles in 2026.</p><p>The goal follows a significant slump in the automaker's performance last year, when Li Auto's total deliveries plunged 18.8% to 406,343 units.</p><p>Li Auto has faced major hurdles in its transition to pure electric vehicles, with the market performance of its first electric SUV, the i8, falling short of internal expectations.</p><p>The disappointing initial reception reportedly led to the departure of Zhang Xiao, president of its second product line, late last year.</p><p>Beyond product launches, the company plans to translate its continuous investments in artificial intelligence into distinctly different product experiences.</p><p>Furthermore, 2026 will mark the first year of Li Auto's formal expansion into overseas markets, an opportunity the company views as a hedge against fierce domestic competition.</p>    <div>        <div>            <p><img width="768" height="432" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026031213270753-768x432.jpg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://cdn.cnevpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/2026031213270753-768x432.jpg"/>                            </p>        </div>        <div>            <p>Li Auto sets 20% growth goal for 2026 after challenging year</p>            <p>Li Auto targets a 20% sales increase in 2026, seeking to recover from an 18.8% drop in 2025 deliveries.</p>                    </div>    </div>                                                                                    </div>

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<p>Li Auto plans to launch its i9 pure electric flagship SUV in the second half of this year to enhance its BEV product lineup. The i9 will be larger than the existing i8 model and is part of the company's strategy to achieve a 20% growth in vehicle deliveries by 2026, following an 18.8% decline in 2025. CEO Li Xiang emphasized the importance of technological advancements and the company's expansion into overseas markets as key components of their future strategy.</p>

- Li Auto plans to launch the i9 pure electric flagship SUV in the second half of this year to enhance its battery electric vehicle (BEV) offerings.  
- The i9 is expected to be larger than the existing i8 model and is part of the company's strategy to achieve a 20% increase in vehicle deliveries by 2026, targeting around 490,000 units.  
- This rollout follows a challenging year where Li Auto faced a significant decline in sales, prompting a focus on innovation and expansion into international markets.

Li Auto plans to launch i9 flagship electric SUV in H2