On June 16, Li Auto's responsible person responded to multiple rear-end collisions involving Li Auto vehicles, attributing the accidents to slippery roads due to rain and following too closely.
Due to a lukewarm reception of the MEGA model and fewer orders for the L series than anticipated earlier this year, Li Auto was compelled to reduce its yearly sales forecast.
Laid-off workers from Li Auto's smart driving team say the recent staff cuts have seriously disrupted the in-house R&D and testing departments, nearly halting development.
Li Auto, whose first-quarter performance didn't meet expectations, is making further organizational changes following significant layoffs and a slowdown in production.
Li Auto's representatives have confirmed a substantial reduction in their workforce. The total number of employees has fallen from its peak of over 30,000 to around 22,000 during the latest layoff period.
Li Auto responds to the cause of the Li L9 rear-end accident as 'the vehicle system mistakenly identified an advertisement image as a real car,' and 'will improve the software system in the future.'
Behind Li Auto's price reductions lies an intensifying competition in Chinese EV market, which began since the beginning of 2024, following BYD's price reduction.
On April 18th, Li Auto's luxury 5-seat family SUV Li L6 was officially announced to be on sale with a starting price of 249,800 yuan and will begin mass deliveries in May.
