Li Auto Plans New Restructuring to Move Product Definition Into R&D, Sources Say

Li Auto is preparing a new organizational reshuffle around its product decision-making process, including splitting some key functions from its product department and folding them into R&D, people familiar with the matter told 36Kr. Sources said the changes mainly target core product-definition teams for the electric vehicle platform and intelligent driving. The EV platform definition team will be moved into the vehicle R&D unit led by Liu Liguo, while the intelligent driving terminal product team will be merged into the foundation model R&D team led by Zhan Kun. Some experience-related product staff may also join the product line organization led by Liu Jie, one source said. The goal is to simplify a previously three-step flow of product line, product department, and R&D into a two-party structure of product line and R&D, removing the intermediate platform product-definition layer. The adjustment has been communicated internally via verbal notice, sources said. Li Auto delivered 30,895 vehicles in June, compared with 40,597 for Nio and 40,126 for Xpeng, according to the company data cited in the report.