Jie Mian Xin Wen·2025-03-25 11:50Core Viewpoint - Li Auto has officially announced its international expansion as a core strategy for 2025, following the opening of its R&D center in Munich and CEO Li Xiang's personal announcement on social media [1] Group 1: Company Strategy - Li Auto aims to enter overseas markets this year, marking internationalization as a key focus for its growth strategy [1] - The company achieved a total sales volume of 500,500 vehicles last year, a year-on-year increase of 33.1%, with a target of 700,000 vehicles for this year [1] - The company plans to leverage its established luxury brand image in Central Asia to enhance market expansion [4] Group 2: Market Context - The overall export growth of Chinese electric vehicles has slowed, particularly for pure electric models, while plug-in hybrids and range-extended vehicles have shown structural growth [2] - The European Union has imposed tariffs of up to 45.3% on imported electric vehicles from China, prompting some Chinese automakers to adjust their strategies towards hybrid models [2] - Chinese automotive brands are still relatively new in the European market, requiring time and localized operations to build brand recognition [4] Group 3: Sales and Distribution - Li Auto has utilized parallel exports to sell over 30,000 vehicles overseas in 2023, accounting for about 10% of its total sales [5] - The company has opted for a dealer model rather than a direct sales model to reduce costs and leverage local distributors for market penetration [5] - Li Auto has established after-sales service centers in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and the UAE, with plans to expand into the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific [5] Group 4: Industry Challenges - The company faces uncertainties as other Chinese brands have experienced setbacks in overseas markets, with some scaling back their international operations [6] - The ability of emerging markets to absorb brand premiums remains untested, necessitating tailored marketing and service strategies [6]