Li Auto i6 2026: in-house 5C battery, MACH chip and November deliveries

Li Auto is moving its lineup toward in-house batteries. The refreshed i6 gets a proprietary 5C pack and MACH chip in Q4 2026, with deliveries due in early November.

Author: Dmitry Novikov

20:15 07-09-2026

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Li Auto is beginning a gradual shift of its entire model lineup to batteries developed in-house. In Q4 2026, the refreshed i6 will receive the company’s own 5C battery and MACH chip: pre-orders will open in late September, while the first cars will be delivered to customers in early November. The company announced the move on WeChat.

The transition is already under way. In-house batteries are used in the L8, L6 and i8. The new-generation MEGA and the upcoming six-seat i9 initially use CATL 5C batteries, but once Li Auto’s own production reaches the required volume, both models will switch entirely to the company’s batteries. Customers who locked in a MEGA order from 15:00 Beijing time on September 7 will receive vehicles with Li Auto batteries, with deliveries expected from November.

Li Auto began developing its own cells back in 2020. The company now says it has a full technology stack covering 5C cells, the battery pack and the BMS. It is developing its own electronics in parallel: the MACH M100 is built on a 5-nm automotive process and uses the company’s own dataflow architecture for driver-assistance systems.

The shift is not only about controlling technology. In its official annual report, Li Auto said CATL supplied most of its batteries, including specialized cells for 5C electric vehicles, while a shortage of battery cells from late 2025 caused significant delays in i6 deliveries. In-house production is intended to reduce that specific supply-chain risk.

There is also a financial backdrop. Li Auto’s vehicle margin in Q2 2026 was 9.4%, compared with 19.4% a year earlier. The company primarily attributes the change to a different product mix, while also citing proprietary technologies and supply-chain optimization as tools for controlling costs.

The new-generation Li MEGA went on sale on September 2, and the change in battery supplier now marks the next stage of the strategy. Li Auto is not saying it will sever ties with CATL completely: the plan is a gradual move to bring key components under its own control.