Li Auto to Stop Production of Li ONE, Dropping Price by 20,000 Yuan

For the past several days, owners of Li Auto’s Li ONE model have been registering online complaints regarding the firm’s September 1 announcement that it will be upgraded and sold with a discount of 20,000 yuan ($2,885), and that production of the vehicle will be stopped next month.

Many vehicle owners said that when ordering, the sales and automobile manufacturers did not mention any upcoming upgrades, halts to production, or price reductions. When the owners asked, the salesperson also said that the company would guarantee a national unified price.

In view of Li Auto actions, many car owners suspect the firm of deception, concealment and false propaganda, causing losses to consumers. The owners requested that Li Auto cancels the discount of 20,000 yuan and ensures follow-up maintenance after the car stops production, provides a lifetime warranty, and reserves the right to replace for a new car.

A salesperson for a Li Auto store in Shanghai confirmed to Jiemian News that Li ONE buyers can directly enjoy a cash discount of 20,000 yuan – for the total price of 349,800 yuan – on the firm’s official website.

The salesperson also mentioned the imminent suspension of production of the Li ONE. “We will launch the L8 model in November, which is a replacement product of the Li ONE and will be delivered when it goes public,” said the source. After the Li ONE stops production, car owners can still enjoy the warranty service for eight years or 120,000 km, and after-sales maintenance such as subsequent parts replacement will always be supplied.

An explanation released by the firm on September 3 said that “Li Auto will strictly fulfill the warranty commitment for all car owners, and provide OTA upgrades for the Li ONE. At the same time, the experience of Li ONE’s assisted driving and smart cockpit will also be continuously optimized through OTA.”

According to the latest sales data from Li Auto, 4,571 cars were delivered in August, down 51.5% and 56.1% year-on-year and quarter-on-quarter respectively. Affected by the power shortage in Sichuan, the L9, which should have been delivered in August, was postponed from August 30 to September 4, so the vehicles delivered last month are basically still the Li ONE. It can be seen that the introduction of new models has a great impact on the sales volume of Li ONE.

SEE ALSO: Li Auto’s New L8 SUV to Have Five and Six-Seat Versions

A Weibo post by the firm on August 18 confirmed that total orders of the L9 had exceeded 30,000. In addition, company CEO Li Xiang showed support for the new L8 in a reply to Weibo users in mid-August, writing: “Don’t buy the Li ONE while waiting for the launch of L8.”