Li Auto is preparing to launch refreshed versions of both the i8 six-seat SUV and the MEGA flagship MPV in August, as it seeks to increase demand in its home market.
The information was revealed by automotive blogger ‘大D有态度’ through a Weibo post this Friday, and comes just days after the specs of both models leaked online.
“Li Auto has two new models coming in August,” the user wrote, adding that “the Li i8 will arrive first, and it’s expected to be available in showrooms for viewing and test drives in early August.”
According to the same post, “the next-generation Li MEGA […] won’t arrive until late August.”
Previous reports had placed both models’ launch broadly in the third quarter, pointing towards an August–September timeline.
Both launches cap a product offensive that has already delivered a refreshed L9 in May, a new L8 in late June, and a new L6 in July.
Li Auto is working through a full-lineup model refresh cycle as it fights to recover margins and meet a 20% annual delivery growth target set by CEO Li Xiang.
The automaker delivered 193,472 vehicles between January and June, trailing just a third of its yearly target of 550,000 units.
Refreshed i8
Leaked configuration details for the upcoming six-seat i8 were first reported by CNMO Technology on Friday.
The report showed that the addition of a new rear-wheel-drive (RWD) version, carrying a 97.8 kWh battery pack capable of achieving a CLTC-rated range of 780 km (485 miles).
Regulatory filings list a rear-mounted motor producing 250 kW (335 hp) and a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph).
“Pricing is still uncertain,” the automotive blogger wrote on Weibo.
Li Auto currently sells the i8 exclusively in a dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) configuration with a combined output of 400 kW, starting at 339,800 yuan ($50,300).
Adding a simpler, longer-range RWD model is widely expected to bring the entry price down.
The Weibo post suggested the RWD variant could serve as the new base trim — mirroring the approach used for the i6 — with all-wheel drive offered as an upgrade.
Beyond the powertrain change, the refreshed i8 gains a powered front trunk, filling a gap that Li Auto deliberately left open during the original model’s development.
Semi-hidden door handles replace the outgoing design, and intelligent driving hardware is rumored to adopt Nvidia’s Thor-U chip — consistent with the broader migration across Li Auto‘s AD Max trims announced earlier this year.
Exterior dimensions remain unchanged at 5,085 mm long, 1,960 mm wide, 1,740 mm tall, with a 3,050 mm wheelbase.
The six-seat layout carries over, and the AWD version will also receive the powered frunk.
Mega Overhaul
The refreshed MEGA amounts to a more comprehensive overhaul, for which the specs were leaked late last week, revealing two trim levels — the Home variant, expected at a price point of 529,800 yuan ($78,400), and Ultra, at 559,800 yuan ($82,900).
Chassis upgrades anchor the update.
A full active suspension system replaces the outgoing dual-chamber air suspension with CDC adaptive dampers.
The active setup can apply force directly to the wheels or body to counteract pitch under braking and roll through corners — a meaningful change for a vehicle stretching a 3,300 mm wheelbase.
Rear-wheel steering is now standard on both trims, directly addressing a frequent complaint about the original MEGA’s turning circle in parking garages and tight urban streets.
Intelligent driving hardware receives a generational leap.
Where the current MEGA carries a single LiDAR sensor, the refreshed model mounts four solid-state units covering front, side, and rear directions.
On the Ultra trim, these pair with a dual Nvidia Orin-X computing platform running Li Auto‘s latest Maher VLA autonomous driving system, powered by dual in-house Maher M100 chips.
Cabin computing upgrades from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8295 to the newer 8797, and the dashboard adopts a full-width integrated display.
A dual-motor AWD system pairs a 155 kW front motor with a 258 kW rear unit — up from 245 kW on the outgoing model — for a combined output of 413 kW (554 hp).
A 108 kWh CATL ternary lithium battery on an 800-volt architecture delivers a CLTC-rated range of 710 km (441 miles).
The original MEGA launched in early 2024 and struggled commercially amid controversy over its exterior styling.
Li Auto has largely retained the design for the refresh but addressed most hardware criticisms through the chassis, sensor, and interior upgrades.
