The latest news on Li Auto’s first-ever electric sports utility vehicle is helping its stock soar. Shares of the Chinese electric vehicle company are about 12% higher on Tuesday after the firm released photos of its i8 SUV . The company specializes in extended-range EVs. With this move, Li’s stock is up about 22% in 2025. Morgan Stanley analyst Tim Hsiao said in a Tuesday note that he expects the i8 to make its debut around April for the Shanghai Auto Show and delivery to start in the summer, but the company is yet to release all the details. Separately, Hsiao said seasonal factors should help its fourth-quarter results but investors will want to see Li’s forecast for full-year volume and gain more insight into its pipeline of new models. Both factors will be potential catalysts for stock. Hsiao’s overweight rating and $32 per share price target means he sees about 21% upside from Monday’s $26.36 close. LI 1D mountain Li Auto stock. The analyst noted that the move higher in Li Auto stock could partly be a short squeeze. Investors have been betting against the automaker as the industry is facing challenges in 2025. Often, this means investors will borrow shares of stock, hoping to profit when it drops by buying it at a lower price. However, a sudden rise in the stock’s price will increase demand as these investors rush in to limit their losses. “We think today’s movement is largely driven by short covering and, to a lesser extent, intra-sector fund flows, chasing laggards as new catalysts kick in,” Hsiao said. He added that investors had expected Li to first give details on its i6 and i7 model before the i8, and will be looking for how the i8 differentiates itself on pricing. Outside of Li’s automotive business, UBS analyst Paul Gong said earlier this month that the company is also an artificial intelligence play, given it uses AI for both autonomous driving and in its manufacturing process. Gong’s buy rating and $40 price target implies nearly 52% upside.
