Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI; HKG: 2015) CEO Li Xiang used social media on September 10, 2026, to disclose new details about the i9, the automaker's next flagship SUV, ahead of its September 16, 2026 debut. Li Xiang said the i9 will be the first model built on Li Auto's second-generation pure electric platform, arriving with a self-developed battery, motor, autonomous-driving chip and driving software, plus a drag coefficient he says is the lowest of any production SUV worldwide.

The i9 is positioned as Li Auto's largest SUV to date and its first ground-up electric flagship, slotting above the extended-range Li L9 and the underperforming Li i8, which delivered just 779 units in June 2026 after its July 2025 launch. It will also become only the second Li Auto model, after the Mega MPV, to carry the brand's "Home" badge, the marker Li Xiang has used for the family-oriented positioning built around the company's larger vehicles.

Li Xiang said the i9 marks the simultaneous arrival of four technologies Li Auto developed in-house: its own battery, its own motor, the Mach M100 autonomous-driving chip and a proprietary driving model, following what he described as more than 10 billion CNY (c. $1.49 billion) in annual research and development spending over the past three years.

Li Xiang framed the i9's arrival as the resolution of what he called three challenges facing Li Auto: proving its dual-powertrain strategy works, with the extended-range i6 ranking in the top three among vehicles priced above 200,000 CNY (c. $29,810) for seven straight months while the i8 and a redesigned Mega both beat internal sales targets; getting the four in-house technologies ready at the same time; and giving the i9 a design identity distinct from its Home-series siblings. The i9 had already surfaced in a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology filing published in July 2026, which disclosed its dimensions and powertrain output months ahead of this week's announcement.

Li Xiang put the i9's drag coefficient at 0.215, a figure that would edge out the 0.217 Cd the Huawei-backed Luxeed R7 posted in January 2026, when it was certified by the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute as the lowest drag coefficient of any production SUV. That record had itself surpassed the Nio EC7's 0.23 Cd and sits below the 0.220 Cd of the current Tesla Model Y. Li Auto's figure has not yet been independently certified.

The Mach M100 chip that will power the i9's driver-assistance system was unveiled by Li Xiang in June 2026 as what Li Auto calls the world's first automotive chip built on a dynamic data-flow architecture, built on a 5-nanometer automotive-grade process with a claimed peak output of 1,280 TOPS per chip. Li Auto has previously paired two of the chips for a combined 2,560 TOPS in other models, though it has not yet said how many chips the i9 will carry.

In styling, the i9 carries over the family design language introduced on the i8, including a closed-off front grille and the brand's signature star-ring headlight graphic. A roof-mounted lidar sensor supports its driver-assistance suite, while a slimmer version of the i8's full-width taillight and a "Home" badge mark the rear.

The i9's slender tail lamp and rear "Home" badge, seen in an official teaser shot. (Li Auto)

The i9 measures 5,225 mm (206 inches) long, 1,970 mm (78 inches) wide and 1,752 mm (69 inches) tall, riding on a 3,168 mm (125-inch) wheelbase, notably larger than the i8's 5,085 mm length and 3,050 mm wheelbase. Li Auto says the entire i9 lineup will come standard with a four-lidar sensor array for 360-degree coverage, paired with rear-wheel active steering aimed at handling for a vehicle of the i9's size.

Inside, Li Auto describes a "home-like" cabin with diamond-quilted leather upholstery, soft ambient lighting and large side windows, arranged in a six-seat, 2+2+2 layout with rotating second-row seats that let occupants face each other. Li Xiang has compared the cabin's space efficiency to "a luxury city-center apartment," and the second and third rows can also fold flat into a bed-like configuration.

An official rendering of the i9's rotating second-row seats, arranged around a shared table. (Li Auto)

The i9 uses a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup with a 150 kW front motor and a 250 kW rear motor for a combined 400 kW output, and a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph). It pairs an 800V architecture with a 101 kWh ternary lithium battery pack sourced from CATL and Sunwoda, supporting 5C fast charging and yielding CLTC-rated ranges of 680 km (423 miles) or 705 km (438 miles) depending on the version.

Li Auto has not announced pricing for the i9, though the company plans to have display units in dealerships from September 11 ahead of the formal reveal on September 16 at 7:30 p.m. Beijing time. Its closest sibling by size, the extended-range Li L9, starts at c. $67,600 in China, giving an early reference point for how Li Auto might position its first ground-up electric flagship once pricing is confirmed.

The launch follows a rocky stretch for Li Auto, whose deliveries fell for three straight months before rebounding to 37,679 vehicles in August 2026, up 32% year-on-year, even as its vehicle margin slipped to 9.4% in the second quarter of 2026 from 19.4% a year earlier. Li Auto has held onto its position as China's top-selling brand in the premium family SUV segment through that stretch, a lead the i9 is meant to extend into the fully electric flagship class.

Whether a claimed aerodynamics record and an in-house tech stack can turn into sustained demand may come down to how Li Auto prices the i9 once it reaches showrooms next week.

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