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Importing a Li auto
Li Auto is one of China's biggest premium brands for families, and it has its eye on Europe. The company runs an R&D centre in Munich, has hired a European management team and announced that its electric i6 will go on sale in Europe. The rest of the line up is a different story. The L series with range extender, the striking MEGA and the large electric SUVs have no European launch plans. If one of those is the car you want, Li Auto import is the way to get it. SCL Rotterdam brings your Li Auto into Europe through the port of Rotterdam and handles everything from sourcing to registration. Before you commit, we tell you honestly what it costs and what to watch out for.
Why import a Li Auto into Europe?
Li Auto designs its cars around the family. Large SUVs with six seats, massage seats in every row, screens for rear passengers and a cabin that feels more like a lounge than a car. In China the brand has delivered 1.8 million vehicles and ranks among the best selling premium brands.
What really sets it apart is the drivetrain. The L series uses a range extender. The wheels are always driven electrically, while a petrol engine recharges the battery when it runs low. On the Chinese test cycle, the new L9 covers over 400 kilometres on electricity alone and more than 1,600 kilometres in total. That suits Europe well: quiet electric driving at home, and a summer road trip across several countries without planning every stop around a charger.
Popular Li Auto models to import
Li L9
The flagship. Over five metres long, six seats, air suspension and a cabin full of screens. The new generation arrived in May 2026 with a bigger battery and more electric range.
Li L8
Another six seater, slightly simpler than the L9. Refreshed in 2026 and very popular in China.
Li L7
The five seat member of the L family. No third row, but more space and comfort in the back.
Li L6
The most compact and affordable L. With more than 400,000 deliveries, it is the brand's best seller.
Li MEGA
A fully electric MPV with a shape you will not find anywhere else. Inside it feels like a private jet for seven. The new generation launched in September 2026.
Li i8 and i9
The brand's fully electric SUVs, with six seats and the same family focused interior. Different import rules apply to fully electric cars from China, as explained below.
What to know before you import a Li Auto
Importing a Li Auto is very doable, but there are a few things you should know first.
Where the car comes from
China only allows vehicles to be exported under licence, through the manufacturer or authorised exporters. Buying from a Chinese dealer and shipping it yourself is therefore not straightforward. Since 2026, Li Auto sells officially in the United Arab Emirates, which makes Dubai a sensible route. We will tell you what is realistic for the model you want.
Duties and VAT
The L series has an advantage here. The extra EU countervailing duty on Chinese cars applies to fully electric models. A range extended L9, L8, L7 or L6 pays the standard 10 percent import duty plus import VAT. For the MEGA, i8 and i9, the countervailing duty is added.
Registration and taxes differ per country
Once cleared through customs in Rotterdam, the car can move freely within the EU. Registration and road tax are national matters, though. Because the L series has a petrol engine on board, most countries do not treat it as a fully electric car, and taxes are often based on CO2 emissions or weight. SCL arranges Dutch and German registration in house and can advise on other European countries.
Charging, software and service
A Chinese market Li Auto has a GB/T charging port, while Europe uses CCS2. With the L series this matters less, because you can always continue on petrol. The software is designed for China, with Chinese apps, maps and voice control. And Li Auto has no service network in Europe yet.
How your Li Auto import works
- Advice first. We discuss the model, its origin, your destination country and a realistic cost estimate.
- Purchase and inspection. We help you find a reliable car and have it inspected before you pay. Our payment service keeps the transaction safe.
- Shipping. Your Li Auto travels to Rotterdam in a secured container. We strongly recommend transport insurance.
- Customs clearance. We file the declaration and settle all duties and taxes correctly.
- Conversion and inspection. In our workshop we prepare the car for European rules, ready for the inspection in your country.
- Registration and delivery. We arrange registration where possible and deliver your Li Auto by road to your door, wherever you are in Europe.
You can follow every step in real time through our customer portal.
What does it cost to import a Li Auto?
The final price is made up of the purchase price, shipping, import duty, import VAT, conversion work, inspection and registration. A new L9 costs around 460,000 yuan in China, and buying through Dubai usually means a higher purchase price. Some countries add a registration tax, such as BPM in the Netherlands, and with heavy cars like the L series that can be significant. Want to know where you will end up? Calculate your costs or ask us for a tailored quote.
Why SCL Rotterdam?
For more than 15 years we have been bringing vehicles into Europe from all over the world, with China and Dubai as regular routes. Rotterdam is Europe's largest port and a natural gateway to the rest of the continent. Customs, storage, workshop and registration are all under one roof, so you deal with one contact person from start to finish. Our customers rate us 9.2 out of 10 on average. And if an import does not make sense, we will tell you straight.
Bring your Li Auto to Europe
Ready to take your family across Europe in an L9 or MEGA? Call us on +31 10 427 77 20 or request a free quote. Within 24 hours you will know where you stand and whether a Li Auto import is the right move for you.
