• Li Auto will begin deliveries of the Li i8 on August 20, with a target of delivering 8,000 to 10,000 units by the end of September.
• Li Auto will launch the Li i6 in September, a smaller electric SUV than the Li i8, which is expected to be priced lower.

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) has announced ambitious delivery targets for the Li i8, seeking to prove that the electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) is popular.

Li Auto's factories are operating at full capacity and will ensure the delivery of more than 8,000 Li i8s by the end of September, the company announced today on Weibo.

"At the same time, we will work with our supply chain partners to challenge the delivery of 10,000 units and strive to deliver more vehicles to users before the National Day holiday," the company wrote.

This year's National Day holiday in China is from October 1 to 8.

Deliveries of the Li i8 will begin on August 20, the company said today, reiterating its previously announced plan.

With more pre-order customers finalizing their orders, the company has begun displaying estimated delivery dates for the Li i8 on its mobile app and website, Li Auto said.

Customers who order the Li i8 now are expected to receive delivery in 10-12 weeks, according to information on Li Auto's website.

The Li i8 was launched on July 29 and is Li Auto's second battery electric vehicle (BEV) model following the Li Mega MPV (multi-purpose vehicle).

The company re-launched the Li i8 on August 5, reducing the available trims from three to one and lowering the price after encountering poor initial acceptance.

The Li i8 currently starts at RMB 339,800 ($47,320), higher than the RMB 321,800 starting price for the Li L8 extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).

Li Auto will launch the Li i6 in September, a smaller electric SUV (sport utility vehicle) than the Li i8, with a lower price expected.

Li Auto has seen a significant decline in monthly deliveries over the past few months, as its L-series EREVs have underperformed.

The company delivered 30,731 vehicles in July, down 39.74 percent year-on-year and down 15.29 percent month-on-month.

L-series models saw year-on-year delivery declines of 40 percent to 53 percent in July, with the Li Mega being the only model to see growth, up 330 percent year-on-year, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.

($1 = RMB 7.1806)