- Li Auto CEO accused Dongfeng Nissan of orchestrating a smear campaign against its core models, prompting Chinese regulators to intervene.
- The rare public dispute highlights the mounting pressure faced by the two automakers as they vie for market share.
Chinese regulatory authorities have reportedly summoned Li Auto and Dongfeng Nissan after Li Auto's CEO accused the latter of launching a malicious smear campaign against his company.
The rare public dispute highlights the escalating competitive tensions in the world's largest auto market amid slowing growth.
China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology noticed the online dispute on April 11 and immediately summoned representatives from both companies for talks, according to a Tuesday report by local media outlet Caijing.
The final findings of the matter have not yet been determined, but regulators are paying close attention to this alleged case of unfair competition, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
Li Auto founder and CEO Li Xiang posted several updates on his personal social media on April 11, accusing Dongfeng Nissan of organizing a large number of accounts to maliciously smear his company's core products during the launch of its new NX8 SUV (sport utility vehicle).
Dongfeng Nissan officially launched the NX8 on April 8, offering both extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) and battery electric vehicle (BEV) powertrain options.
The model has an official guide price of 159,900 yuan ($23,460) and a starting price of 149,900 yuan after limited-time benefits, significantly lower than the 249,800 yuan price tag of Li Auto's two entry-level models, the Li L6 and Li i6.
Li Auto's legal department subsequently announced that it had completed preliminary evidence collection and formally reported the case to public security authorities.
The company determined that such organized and large-scale manipulation is suspected of fabricating false public sentiment, adding that it will resort to legal action to hold the masterminds and perpetrators accountable.
Wang Qian, general manager of Dongfeng Nissan's new energy brand, later made a brief response via his Weibo account, stating that Dongfeng Nissan always abides by industry rules and advocates healthy competition. His statement did not directly address the specific allegations of hiring internet trolls.
Beyond the public relations spat, the fierce confrontation is set against the backdrop of severe growth anxiety shared by both automakers in 2026, the Caijing report noted.
As China's NEV market shifts from incremental expansion to a zero-sum game, competition among automakers has led to a sharp decline in overall industry profit margins.
Li Auto's revenue in 2025 fell 22.3% year-on-year to 112.3 billion yuan, and it recorded an operating loss of 521 million yuan.
The risks facing Dongfeng Nissan are even more severe, as multiple strategic NEV models launched by the veteran joint venture in recent years have fallen short of expectations, according to Caijing.
Amid the trend of a continuously shrinking market share for internal combustion engine vehicles, the NX8 is viewed by the automaker as a crucial defensive chip to salvage its NEV business.
($1 = 6.8162 yuan)
