Li i8
{{Short description|Battery-electric full-size luxury crossover SUV}}
{{distinguish|BMW i8}}
{{Infobox automobile
| name = Li i8
| image =
| manufacturer = Li Auto
| aka = Lixiang i8
| production = 2025 (to commence)
| assembly = China: Changzhou, Jiangsu
| designer =
| class = Full-size luxury crossover SUV
| body_style = 5-door SUV
| layout = Dual-motor, all-wheel-drive
| platform =
| related = Li Mega
| battery = {{ubl
| NMC Sunwoda
}}
| powerout = {{convert|536|hp|kW PS|abbr=on}}
| charging = 5C (DC)
| motor = {{ubl
| 150 kW YS210XY103 induction
| 250 kW TZ220XYHP1 permanent magnet synchronous
}}
| wheelbase = {{convert|3050|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| length = {{convert|5085|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| width = {{convert|1960|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| height = {{convert|1740|mm|in|abbr=on}}
| weight = {{convert|2580-2610|mm|in|abbr=on}}
}}
The Li i8 ({{zh|s=理想i8|p=Lǐxiǎng i8|l=ideal i8}}) is a battery electric luxury full-size crossover SUV produced by Chinese manufacturer Li Auto. It is the brand's second fully electric vehicle after the Mega, and its first fully electric crossover SUV. It is positioned as the flagship vehicle of the brand's i-series of battery electric crossovers.{{Cite web |last=Bobylev |first=Denis |date=2025-02-25 |title=Li Auto i8 revealed in official images – the brand’s first electric SUV |url=https://carnewschina.com/2025/02/25/li-auto-i8-revealed-in-official-images-in-china-as-the-brands-first-electric-suv/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}}
History
The i8 was first teased by Li Auto with a February 24, 2025 Weibo post by CEO Li Xiang introducing the vehicle as the brand's first fully electric crossover SUV, along with two exterior images of the vehicle next to an L9 and Mega. Xiang added that the 'i' in the i8's model name stands for intelligence.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Phate |date=2025-02-25 |title=Li Auto names its 1st all-electric SUV Li i8, releases official images |url=https://cnevpost.com/2025/02/25/li-auto-names-1st-all-electric-suv-li-i8/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}} The following day, Li Auto released additional images of the i8 next to a Tesla Model X.{{Cite web |last=Kang |first=Lei |date=2025-02-26 |title=Li Auto releases new images of Li i8, showing how it compares to Tesla Model X |url=https://cnevpost.com/2025/02/26/li-auto-new-images-i8-compares-tesla-model-x/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}} The model's reveal date was brought forward from February 27 to avoid conflicting with the launch event of the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra after communication from Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun, which Xiang thanked him for in a Weibo post.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Phate |date=2025-02-25 |title=Li Auto had planned to reveal Li i8 on Feb 27, moved date up because of Xiaomi, says CEO |url=https://cnevpost.com/2025/02/25/li-auto-planned-reveal-i8-feb-27-moved-up-xiaomi/ |access-date=2025-02-27 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}} On 16 April 2025, Li Auto revealed more pictures and details about the vehicle, which will have its public debut at Auto Shanghai 2025 later that month.{{Cite web |last=Opletal |first=Jiri |date=2025-04-16 |title=Li Auto i8 all-electric SUV revealed in China with 536 hp and 5C charging, priced around 54,400 USD |url=https://carnewschina.com/2025/04/16/li-auto-i8-all-electric-suv-revealed-in-china-with-536-hp-and-5c-charging-priced-around-54400-usd/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=CarNewsChina.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kang |first=Lei |date=2025-04-16 |title=Regulatory filing: Li Auto files for Li i8 electric SUV |url=https://cnevpost.com/2025/04/16/regulatory-filing-li-i8/ |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Chen |first=Hao |date=2025-04-16 |title=标配激光雷达/四驱 顶配40万左右 理想i8亮相工信部公告 |url=https://www.autohome.com.cn/news/202504/1305380.html#pvareaid=102624 |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=www.autohome.com.cn}} The i8 is expected to be launched in July 2025.{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Phate |date=2025-03-03 |title=Li Auto to launch Li i8 electric SUV in Jul, shares 1st teaser video |url=https://cnevpost.com/2025/03/03/li-auto-to-launch-li-i8-jul/ |access-date=2025-03-03 |website=CnEVPost |language=en-US}}
Overview
The exterior design of the i8 is a mix between Li Auto's L-series crossover SUVs and Mega MPV. The front-end is similar to the Mega, with a high-mounted LED light bar acting as DRLs, and a forward slanted hood flowing into a steeply raked windshield. It is available with a selection of 20 and 21-inch wheels which all have aerodynamic covers. The rear-end closely resembles the L9 in design, but with a sloping roofline shape similar to the Mega. The i8 has a black-painted roof and pillars with a roof-mounted solid-state ATL LiDAR sensor and pop-out door handles. The i8 is equipped with air suspension, and has an approach and departure angle of 16 and 17 degrees, respectively.{{Cite web |last=Xu |first=Zhenyu |date=2024-04-16 |title=理想i8申报图 品牌首款纯电SUV/将于7月发布_易车 |url=https://news.yiche.com/xinchexiaoxi/20250416/1999762768.html |access-date=2025-04-16 |website=news.yiche.com}}
The i8 is a three-row six-seater vehicle. The interior features dual 15.3-inch dashboard-mounted screens serving as the infotainment display and passenger entertainment display, with a small touchscreen mounted on the steering wheel hub serving as the instrument cluster in conjunction with a head-up display.
Powertrain
The i8 will be the first to utilize Li Auto's new self-developed SiC power electronics module, allowing the vehicle to achieve 5C DC charging. It will use NMC battery packs supplied by CATL and Sunwoda. It has a dual-motor all-wheel drive configuration, with a {{Convert|150.|kW|hp PS|abbr=unit}} induction motor powering the front wheels, and a {{Convert|250.|kW|hp PS|abbr=unit}} permanent magnet motor at the rear, for a total of {{Convert|536|hp|kW PS|abbr=unit}}.