Chinese carmaker Li Auto announced its entry into several Asia-Pacific markets on November 10th, including Singapore, Hong Kong and Thailand, marking its first expansion into right-hand-drive markets.

At a ceremony in Beijing, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange-listed company signed distributor agreements covering Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar. Sales in the Philippines began earlier this year, while the remaining markets are scheduled to follow in 2027.

In Singapore, Wearnes Automotive has been appointed distributor, with a showroom planned at 45 Leng Kee Road and first deliveries expected in January or February 2027.

The first model for right-hand-drive markets will be the Mega, a 5.4-metre-long, seven-seat multi-purpose vehicle scheduled to launch in 2027. It is Li Auto's first fully electric vehicle and features dual motors producing a combined 400 kilowatts (kW), alongside a 103 kWh battery offering a claimed range of up to 700 km. Its 800-volt electrical architecture supports charging at up to 520 kW, enabling a 10-80% charge in approximately 10 minutes.

Premium technology-focused carmaker

The expansion follows comments by chairman and CEO Li Xiang during a September earnings call, when he outlined plans to enter right-hand-drive markets and position Li Auto as a premium brand overseas. The second model planned for these markets is the i6 sport utility vehicle (SUV), which ranked as China's third best-selling car during the first eight months of the year, behind the Geely EX2 and Tesla Model Y.

Founded by Li in 2015, the company manufactures premium, technology-focused new energy vehicles (NEVs), China's term for electric and hybrid vehicles, competing with brands such as Nio and XPeng. Li Auto listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 2015 and Nasdaq in 2020 through American depositary shares.

With intensifying competition and declining profitability in China's domestic car market, amid what is known as 'involution', Chinese manufacturers are increasingly relying on exports.

Earlier this year, Li Auto announced plans to enter Cambodia, Laos and Macau, while industry reports indicate upcoming entries into Malaysia and Australia. The company is also expanding in the Middle East and Europe, with plans to enter the UK in 2027.

Li Auto initially gained traction with range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs), petrol-electric hybrids with smaller battery packs than fully electric vehicles, recharged by a small petrol engine. This configuration potentially offers better efficiency than conventional hybrids. The company has also expanded into automotive technology, including autonomous vehicles, and spun off an automotive chip venture in June this year.

However, like Nio and XPeng, Li Auto has recorded substantial sales without achieving consistent profitability. For the second quarter ended June 2026, it reported a net loss of CNY 1.7 billion (US$ 251.3 million), compared with CNY 1.1 billion in the corresponding period a year earlier. Revenue declined 15.1% year on year to CNY 25.7 billion, while the vehicle margin fell from 19.4% to 9.4%.

Free cash flow was negative at CNY 1.3 billion, compared with negative CNY 3.8 billion in the previous year.