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Li Auto has crossed a major production milestone, with the 100,000th mass-produced Li i6 rolling off the line on Friday. More than a headline number, it is a clear sign that the electric SUV’s manufacturing rhythm is finally hitting its stride.
The pace is what stands out. The company moved from the 80,000th unit on March 20 to the 100,000th on April 10, which means 20,000 Li i6 SUVs were built in just 21 days. That kind of acceleration does not happen by accident. It usually points to supply chains settling down, production bottlenecks easing, and a factory that is no longer fighting against itself.
There is still time left in April, and plenty of it. With 20 days remaining in the month, Li Auto could be on track for a new single-month delivery record for the model if the current tempo holds.
That would be a meaningful turnaround. Earlier this month, the company said monthly deliveries of the Li i6 had finally climbed beyond 24,000 units after production constraints were brought under control. The improvement also fed directly into Li Auto’s broader March performance, when the company delivered 41,053 vehicles, up 12% year on year and 55.38% from February.
For the first quarter, Li Auto handed over 95,142 vehicles in total, beating the top end of its own guidance. In a market where momentum can disappear overnight, that matters. Investors notice. So do buyers.
The Li i6 itself was launched in September 2025 with a starting price of 249,800 yuan, or about $36,570. Positioned as a family-focused model, it is also an important part of Li Auto’s shift toward pure electric vehicles. This is not just another SUV in the lineup. It is a strategic test case.
Not long ago, the situation looked far less smooth. In January, Li Auto delayed delivery of some Li i6 orders because battery supply was too tight. At the time, the company tried to steer customers toward different battery versions in order to shorten waiting times. The pressure was real, and it showed.
That recovery comes at a delicate moment for the company. Li Auto has been working with very little room for error, and profitability has been thin. Its net profit in the fourth quarter of last year came in at just 20.2 million yuan, a reminder that even strong sales do not always translate into healthy margins.
Now the company is looking for the next spark. It plans to unveil an updated Li L9 series in the second quarter, followed by its flagship pure electric SUV, the Li i9, in the second half of the year. If the Li i6 production ramp is any indication, Li Auto is hoping the hardest part of the transition is already behind it.
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