I don’t think anyone saw this coming. Just when the dust was settling from the launch of the Li i8 Electric SUV, Li Auto went ahead and hit the reset button. Yep, barely a week after unveiling its brand-new electric SUV, the company decided to relaunch it, with a cleaner lineup and a slightly reduced price tag.

From Grand Debut to Swift Rework

The original reveal had all the makings of a blockbuster: futuristic design, 720 km of CLTC range, dual-motor AWD, and 5C fast-charging, not to mention a 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 4.5 seconds. But sometimes, even the most well-packed launches miss the mark.

That’s exactly what happened. Early feedback trickled in, and the numbers didn’t lie. Only about 6,000 orders in the first week. For a brand like Li Auto, that’s far from ideal. Investor confidence dipped, and the stock price took a hit. The pressure was on.

A Leaner, Sharper Comeback

On August 4, Li Auto rolled out a surprising but calculated fix. The new strategy? Simplify everything. They scrapped the three-trim approach and introduced a single, unified version, the Li i8 Max, now priced at RMB 339,800.

What’s smart here is that buyers can still add premium features from the former Ultra variant as paid options, and even then, the total cost is lower than before. It’s like they trimmed the fat and kept all the flavor.

What This Says About the EV Race

The Li i8 Electric SUV relaunch isn’t just about numbers or features. It’s a reminder that the EV world moves fast and the margin for error is razor-thin. Nio’s Onvo L90 is right around the corner, and competition is brutal. But Li Auto’s quick response shows grit, they’re not just listening to feedback, they’re acting on it in real time.

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August 20 is when deliveries begin. I’ll be watching closely, because in a space this competitive, every move counts.