On September 25, 2025, Li Auto's official social media account posted a mysterious message with the caption "Break conventional boundaries, create better works," accompanied by a silhouette of an endorser alongside the Li6 model. Netizens quickly decoded the puzzle, identifying famous actor Yi Yang Qian Xi from the posting time and silhouette features. This announcement came on the eve of the Li6 launch (officially launching September 26), creating strong synergy between celebrity influence and new product buzz.

The hashtag "Li Auto Yi Yang Qian Xi" quickly climbed to 6th place on Weibo's national trending list, generating nearly 40 million views.

Li Auto CEO Li Xiang had previously stated publicly that the company would "never hire endorsers," but has now reversed course by selecting Yi Yang Qian Xi as brand spokesperson. This shift highlights Li Auto's strategic adjustment amid fierce market competition. Previously, Li Auto achieved traffic growth through celebrity car owners like Yue Yunpeng, but signing Yi Yang Qian Xi marks the company's first official brand endorsement deal.

Li Xiang had expressed great admiration for Yi Yang Qian Xi, even mentioning that if a biographical film "The Li Xiang Story" were made, he would want Yi Yang Qian Xi to portray him. This alignment of personal preference with brand strategy adds more talking points to the collaboration.

Li Auto has traditionally focused on serving middle-aged families, but partnering with Yi Yang Qian Xi clearly signals a strategic pivot toward embracing younger consumers. Through works like "Better Days," "Nice View," "The Battle at Lake Changjin," and "Full River Red," Yi Yang Qian Xi has cultivated a mature and sophisticated image that highly aligns with the Li6's balance of quality and practicality. His influence spans from Gen Z to middle-aged demographics, offering cross-generational appeal that can precisely reach the Li6's core customer base.

The Li6 is positioned as a large five-seat pure electric SUV priced between 250,000-300,000 yuan, featuring an 800V high-voltage platform, ultra-fast charging technology, and over one meter of rear legroom as core selling points. Li Xiang has promised that all Li6 variants will come standard with AD Max advanced driver assistance systems, with lifetime free usage for first owners.

Li Xiang has set ambitious sales targets for the Li6: 9,000 to 10,000 units monthly. Combined with the Li6 and Li MEGA, Li Auto's pure electric vehicle lineup is expected to stabilize at 18,000 to 20,000 units monthly. The pressure on the Li6 to boost overall sales is substantial.

However, Yi Yang Qian Xi's automotive endorsement track record shows promise. In 2020, when BMW announced Yi Yang Qian Xi as its new generation spokesperson, the official announcement received over 1 million reposts, 140,000 comments, and 1.3 million likes. Fans flooded the comments section with photos of their BMW vehicles, creating viral-level engagement.

This Li Auto endorsement has similarly triggered rapid fan response. Following the announcement, fans have already shared Li Auto vehicle orders, demonstrating top-tier celebrities' purchasing influence.

Li Auto has carved out a unique marketing path in the competitive new energy vehicle market by precisely matching celebrity characteristics with product positioning. Yi Yang Qian Xi's national recognition will help the model quickly break into mainstream markets, injecting momentum into Li Auto's goal of capturing "10% market share in the pure electric segment."

2025 marks Li Auto's first year launching its inaugural pure electric SUV (Li6) and formally entering the pure electric SUV arena. Li Xiang stated his internal goal is to "secure fifth place, compete for third" in the premium pure electric segment by year-end.

Morgan Stanley noted in its latest research report that the upcoming Li6 model is crucial for Li Auto, recommending a more aggressive pricing strategy by lowering the guidance price from the previously tentative 250,000-300,000 yuan range to 200,000-250,000 yuan. Analysts believe that despite short-term challenges, Li Auto maintains competitive advantages in its electric vehicle transition, with success hinging on executing more precise market strategies.

Chang Jiang Securities also expressed optimism about Li Auto's future development, believing that with accelerated high-voltage pure electric product launches in the second half of the year, Li Auto's product portfolio will become more comprehensive.

Li Auto delivered 28,529 vehicles in August 2025, down 40.7% year-over-year and 7.2% month-over-month, marking three consecutive months of declining sales (note: the domestic premium pure electric SUV market declined approximately 35% year-over-year during the same period).

After launch, the Li6 will directly compete with formidable rivals including the Aito M7 and Tesla Model Y. Li Xiang has set monthly sales targets of 9,000-10,000 units for the Li6. This model, tasked with the brand's strategic mission of penetrating mass markets, will test Li Auto's ability to transition from premium to mainstream segments.

Celebrity endorsement is merely an entry point; ultimately, product capabilities and user experience will determine market success.