If you’re already confused with the many (and unheard-of) Chinese car brands entering our market, then know that new marques are still arriving. One of which is Li Auto, an automotive brand so fresh that it was only founded in 2015. Early this week, we met the team behind this carmaker, and it will be distributed here by a firm called HomeAuto.

Truth be told, when we teased this brand on our Facebook page last week, we were expecting another round of bashing from our readers. Yes, there was the usual racist and political mocking, but to our surprise, a similar number of people were saying flattering remarks about Li Auto. Particularly intriguing was this comment:

That is the best brand. High end. Wanted to buy and import that for three years now. All the car designers and engineers are mostly from Porsche Germany.

So I got interested. I learned that the company’s senior design director, Ben Baum, came from Porsche.

Another comment that caught my attention:

Li Auto has been performing really well in its home market, at times rivaling BYD and Zeekr in some segments.

We googled it and saw that it sold half a million (500,508) cars last year—not bad for a startup that supposedly moved just a thousand units in 2019.

Li Auto’s initial offerings are two plug-in hybrid crossover SUVs (L7 and L9) and a full-electric minivan (Mega).

The Philippine distributor currently holds office in Bonifacio Global City, and its website shows that its first two showrooms will be located at Sennett Corporate Center on 39th Street in BGC, and on Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City.

“We are thrilled to introduce Li Auto’s innovative smart electric vehicles to the Philippines,” said HomeAuto CEO Stone Yu. “The local market presents a significant opportunity for us with its increasing awareness of electric vehicles and interest in modern technology. Filipinos’ strong family values align perfectly with our vision so we are confident that they will appreciate the unique blend of luxury and technology that Li Auto offers.”

Unfortunately, the new kid on the Chinese block will not be part of the 2025 Manila International Auto Show, but if you’re interested, it will be at SM Mall of Asia from tomorrow (April 4) to April 10.

Welcome to the Pinoy hood. May you find your niche in our humble market.