Solid-state batteries could start appearing in limited numbers of Li Auto vehicles in 2027 or 2028, according to a report by Chinese outlet CLS citing company insiders. Liu Zhimin, senior director of traction batteries at Li Auto, said the firm is "actively laying the groundwork" for the technology, which has already progressed to prototype validation — testing reportedly used the company's own smart glasses products.
The road to full-scale production is much longer, though. Liu identified battery lifespan, charging performance, and cost as the core obstacles, and sources indicated the company needs roughly five more years to reach mature mass production while keeping the ownership experience consistent. That would put volume-market solid-state Li Auto vehicles around 2032 or 2033.
The development fits Li Auto's broader push toward self-developed hardware. The brand already supplies its own packs to the L6, L8, and i8, a move intended to tighten supply chain control and trim costs. It has also created a unit that licenses in-house technology to third parties — covering the 1,280-TOPS Mach M100 autonomous driving chip, SiC power modules, and EREV drivetrain systems — though its batteries are not being offered to outside automakers.
The battery roadmap comes amid mixed delivery numbers: Li Auto shipped 259,930 units in China from January to August 2025, down 1.2% year over year. Its current top seller is the i6 electric SUV, priced from 249,800 to 269,800 yuan (about 37,300 to 40,300 USD), which has clocked 152,842 sales in the first eight months of 2026.