Gasgoo Munich-Li Auto moved to address public concerns about its battery strategy on September 8. The automaker clarified its stance on technology roadmaps, partnerships, and after-sales service in response to growing online discussion.
The company confirmed it now designs and manufactures its own battery packs, though it uses a contract manufacturing model for battery cells. As for working with multiple cell makers, Li Auto emphasized a commitment to open collaboration. It partners with top-tier manufacturers that possess the right technical capabilities, quality systems, and long-term alignment. Regardless of how many partners are involved, Li Auto’s principle remains unchanged: all solutions must align with its unified product definition, and the company takes full responsibility for the end-user experience.
Source: Li Auto
Addressing concerns about after-sales consistency, Li Auto made it clear: users will not face additional quality risks or service discrepancies simply because their battery cells came from different manufacturers.
Li Auto had previously outlined its roadmap for rolling out proprietary batteries across its lineup. That effort is already underway, with in-house batteries now in mass production on the Li Auto L8, L6, and i8. The plan calls for these self-developed batteries to eventually cover every model in the portfolio.
On the rollout timeline, the first batch of the new Li Auto MEGA comes equipped with CATL’s 5C ternary lithium batteries. However, customers who locked in their orders after 3:00 PM on September 7 will receive Li Auto’s own 5C ternary lithium batteries, with deliveries expected to begin in November. As for the all-new Li Auto i9, launching in mid-September, initial units will still carry CATL batteries; the full switch to Li Auto’s in-house cells will happen once production capacity ramps up.
Additionally, the 2026 Li Auto i6, set to launch in the fourth quarter, will feature both the company’s self-developed 5C battery and its in-house Mach chip. Reservations are slated to open in late September, with deliveries starting in early November.
Li Auto began developing its own battery cells in 2020 and has since built a comprehensive technology ecosystem spanning 5C cells, packs, and battery management systems (BMS). The company noted that bringing battery development in-house is about securing control of core technologies—not rejecting top-tier suppliers. CATL’s status as a leading battery industry player remains undiminished, Li Auto stressed.
