Li Auto said its vehicle fleet has reached over 1,000 units in Kazakhstan, and the local after-sales service is in high demand.

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) is reportedly planning to open its first overseas after-sales store in Kazakhstan this month, as the brand's ownership there rises.

Li Auto's first overseas directly-managed after-sales service store, located in Almaty, Kazakhstan, opened for trial operations at the end of June, with a tentative plan to officially open in July, local media Chengdu Economic Daily said in a report yesterday.

The Chinese automaker confirmed the information, saying that the Li Auto vehicle fleet in Kazakhstan has reached more than 1,000 units, and demand for after-sales service is high, according to the report.

In addition to the Kazakhstan service center, Li Auto is also planning directly-managed service centers in other countries in Central Asia and in the Middle East, the report said.

Li Auto has yet to officially enter overseas markets, where its vehicles are resold by other companies or individuals through unofficial channels, especially in Central Asia.

Li Auto is currently focusing on sales in its home market in China and is still planning to set up retail operations overseas, the company told Chengdu Economic Daily.

"We have not given authorization to any organization or individual to sell Li Auto's products and services, and in the future we hope to implement a direct management model overseas," the carmaker said.

Founded in July 2015, Li Auto is one of China's major extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) players and has become the best sales performer among the new car-making forces with the help of these range-anxiety-free models.

Its first model, the Li One EREV, was released in October 2018 and began deliveries in December 2019.

The Li One has now been discontinued, and Li Auto's current models on sale are mainly L-series EREVs, including the Li L6, Li L7, Li L8, and Li L9.

Li Auto's first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the Li Mega MPV (multi-purpose vehicle), went on sale on March 1, but its weak performance contributed little to sales.

In an earnings call on February 26, Li Auto said it plans to set up a dedicated after-sales service network in Central Asia and the Middle East in the first half of 2024.

Li Auto will continue to adhere to its direct sales model in overseas markets and will build a sales network as well as a comprehensive after-sales service, the company's management said in the call.

Li Auto had already established its presence in the Middle East by initiating the recruitment of a local sales and service team in Dubai, it said.

Li Auto planned to start delivering vehicles overseas in the fourth quarter of this year, and the first available models would be the Li L9 and Li L7, with customized plans based on local circumstances and policies, according to the call.

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