Li Auto (理想汽车) vows police action after alleging coordinated online smear of i6 and L6

Company says evidence points to organized astroturfing

Li Auto (理想汽车) announced it has completed evidence collection and will file a police report after what it describes as a coordinated online smear campaign targeting its i6 and L6 models. The company said a surge of posts on platforms such as Xiaohongshu (小红书) appeared after a rival brand's new model launch, running “improper comparisons” and maliciously denigrating Li Auto’s vehicles. Li Auto's legal team says the posts show high homogeneity — “choose-one-of-two” messaging — with suspiciously concentrated IP addresses and timestamps, which it argues are inconsistent with spontaneous user discussion.

Legal steps and claims of consumer harm

In its statement Li Auto said it will report the matter to public security organs, complain to supervisory authorities and pursue litigation against “behind‑the‑scenes planners, organizers and executors.” The company framed the activity as more than reputational harm: it alleged the behavior fabricates false “word‑of‑mouth” comparisons, misleads consumers and distorts market evaluation mechanisms. These are the kinds of allegations that, if borne out, could attract regulatory as well as criminal scrutiny under China’s consumer protection and internet governance rules.

Broader context and related reports

It has been reported that Chinese police in Yantai recently detained a networked “water army” accused of using AI to generate negative articles about multiple brands, including HarmonyOS, Xiaomi and Li Auto, to drive traffic and profits — a sign of the emerging technology-enabled tactics behind online manipulation. Reportedly, Beijing’s platforms and regulators have stepped up enforcement against commercial disinformation and coordinated manipulation in recent years, aiming to protect consumers and stabilise online reputations. Why does this matter? For Chinese EV makers, brand trust is now a strategic asset as they expand both domestically and abroad amid intense competition and growing international scrutiny.

What happens next

Li Auto’s move tests whether corporate evidence‑gathering and legal leverage can deter organized online campaigns. Will platforms such as Xiaohongshu tighten moderation? Will authorities pursue those arrested and any hidden organizers? The answers will matter not only for Li Auto’s i6 and L6 — they will shape how Chinese automakers, tech platforms and regulators police the fast‑evolving battleground of opinion online.