Li Auto confirms UK launch in autumn 2027 with family EVs and range-extenders

Li Auto, China’s best-selling home-grown premium car brand, will launch in the UK in the third quarter of 2027. The company confirmed its plans after presenting its European strategy at the Paris motor show, according to Autocar and AM. Its first European car, the i6 electric SUV, goes on sale in Norway and the Netherlands from spring 2027, and a different model will lead its UK launch.

Li Auto is a big deal in China. It made its name with range-extender electric cars, which drive on electricity but carry a small petrol engine to recharge the battery, before moving into pure EVs. For UK families, its arrival means another premium option with long range, big cabins and lots of technology, aimed squarely at brands such as BMW, Audi and Volvo.

Who is Li Auto?

Li Auto is a Chinese car maker that focuses on premium family cars. It is China’s best-selling home-grown premium brand, and its i6 SUV was China’s best-selling premium model to the end of August 2026.

Its first big success came from range-extender (REx) cars. These suit China’s long-distance drivers and areas with patchy charging, because they offer electric driving most of the time and petrol back-up when you need it. Li Auto then launched pure electric cars, starting with the Mega, a striking, very large electric MPV.

Its head of international business, Nestor Wu, told Autocar that the brand will focus on families in Europe too. “Families have different market needs,” he said. “That’s what we focus on and succeed in China, and we think it will work here.”

Which model is coming to the UK?

Li Auto has not said which model will lead its UK launch. It confirmed only that it will not be the i6, which is starting in Norway and the Netherlands. Wu said the brand’s line-up will target family buyers with both fully electric and range-extender options.

There is one strong clue. The latest version of the Mega, called the Megahome, is already available in right-hand drive. It is 5,355mm long, which makes it longer than most large SUVs on sale in the UK, and its second-row seats slide, swivel and then fold down into what Li Auto calls “bed mode”. Both the Megahome and the i6 can be specified with a 21-inch drop-down screen for rear passengers.

Li Auto plans to add at least one new European model every year from 2027 to 2029, mixing battery electric and extended-range cars, according to AM. So the UK line-up should grow quickly once it starts.

What is the Li Auto i6?

The i6 is a large, sleek electric SUV, 4,950mm long, built on a dedicated 800-volt platform. It is the car that will start Li Auto’s European push, and while it is not first in line for the UK, it shows what the brand offers.

Li Auto i6	Rear-wheel drive	Four-wheel drive
Power	335bhp	563bhp
Battery	96kWh	96kWh
WLTP range	398 miles	348 miles
Peak charging	500kW	500kW
Length	4,950mm	4,950mm

Li Auto has adapted the i6 for European tastes. It has new, locally sourced air springs to give it more dynamic handling than the Chinese version, where buyers prefer a softer ride. Its software supports eight European languages, localised navigation, Spotify and Apple CarPlay.

Inside, most controls sit on an enormous 29-inch touchscreen that stretches across to the passenger side, with an ultra-wide head-up display for the driver. That is common among Chinese premium brands, but some UK buyers prefer physical buttons, so it is worth trying before you buy.

How does the i6 compare with the BMW iX3?

Li Auto says the i6 will be priced to roughly match the BMW iX3. That is a bold target, because the new iX3 is one of the most talked-about EVs of the year.

According to Autocar, the iX3 starts at £53,250 in the UK in 40 form, with 320bhp and up to 395 miles of range. The i6 has slightly more power and slightly more range in rear-drive form, and much faster peak charging, at 500kW against the iX3’s 400kW. Autocar notes that the BMW offers more range spec for spec, though.

For context, see our BMW iX3, Mercedes GLC and Volvo EX60 comparison, and our report on a BMW iX3 that drove 628 miles on one charge.

Does 500kW charging matter?

In practice, peak charging speed matters less than how long a car holds a high rate, and very few UK chargers can deliver 500kW today. Most ultra-rapid chargers here offer 150kW to 350kW. A car that can accept 500kW will still charge quickly on those, but you will not see the headline figure until faster chargers spread. The 800-volt platform is the bigger benefit, because it helps the car charge quickly across more of the battery.

What will the UK ownership experience look like?

Li Auto is building its European support network ahead of launch. It plans to open a regional parts distribution centre in the Netherlands in December 2026, along with roadside assistance and a customer call centre. It will also provide technical training and support for its dealer network.

For UK buyers, the open questions are practical:

• Dealers. Li Auto has not named UK dealer partners or said how many sites it plans. AM says prospective dealers are still asking about franchise availability and showroom costs.
• Parts. How quickly parts reach the UK from the Netherlands will matter for repair times, especially after an accident.
• Resale values. As with any new brand, used values are hard to predict. Leasing or PCP with a guaranteed future value limits that risk.

Will Li Auto cars qualify for the Electric Car Grant?

Unlikely, if they are built in China. The Electric Car Grant of up to £3,750 has not been available on China-built cars, and it is capped by price, so a car priced like a BMW iX3 would be too expensive anyway. Range-extender models would not count as zero-emission either. Our grant guide explains the rules.

Will tariffs affect Li Auto?

They could. The UK is weighing whether to align with EU tariffs on Chinese-built EVs as the price of joining the EU’s Made in Europe scheme, as we cover in our Made in Europe report. Li Auto’s timing, autumn 2027, means its UK prices could be set in a different trade environment from today’s.

Range-extenders are unlikely to escape. In the EU, range-extender cars whose engines only generate electricity are covered by the same extra tariffs as China-built battery EVs, with total duties of up to 45%, according to Automotive News. Conventional hybrids from China face a separate import quota instead.

Why are so many Chinese brands coming to the UK?

The UK is one of Europe’s largest car markets, has no extra tariffs on Chinese EVs, and drives on the left, which many Chinese makers already support for markets such as Australia and Thailand. Chinese brands took 23.3% of UK new car sales in September 2026, according to our sales analysis.

Li Auto joins a crowded queue. Chery’s iCaur brand arrives in early 2027, as we report in our iCaur V27 story, and Avatr, Denza and Xpeng are all expanding. AM described the UK market as “heavily contested and congested”, with more brands expected in 2027.

Why are range-extenders popular in China?

Range-extender EVs, sometimes called EREVs, were Li Auto’s original product and have grown fast in China, where overall EREV sales doubled to 1.2 million in 2024, according to JATO Dynamics. They suit drivers who want electric driving for daily trips but worry about long journeys or patchy charging. Li Auto sold more than half a million cars in China in 2024, mostly range-extenders.

In Europe, range-extenders are still rare. Leapmotor offers one in the C10, and several Chinese brands, including Xpeng, have said they will add them. Whether UK buyers take to them will depend on price, electric range and how they are taxed. Our Xpeng Europe report covers another brand planning range-extenders.

Li Auto has not said whether its first UK model will be a range-extender or a pure EV, so watch for that detail when the line-up is announced.

Our view

Li Auto is one of the more interesting arrivals, because it has a clear identity: big, comfortable, tech-heavy family cars, with a choice of pure EV or range-extender. That mix could suit UK families who want electric driving day to day but are not ready to rely on public charging for long trips.

The test will be price and support. Matching the BMW iX3 on price means Li Auto has to match BMW on build, service and resale too, and it starts with no UK history. We will report on its first UK model, prices and dealer network as soon as they are announced.