BASF, Li Auto forge strategic partnership to drive sustainable, digital coatings innovation

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On March 26, global advanced materials leader BASF and China's leading new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer Li Auto hosted a Technology Day at Li Auto's R&D headquarters in Beijing, where they announced a strategic cooperation memorandum aimed at advancing coatings innovation through sustainability and digitalization, according to a post on BASF's WeChat account.

Under the memorandum, BASF's Coatings division and Li Auto will collaborate on developing low-carbon emission material technologies, establishing a joint innovation platform, and enhancing product performance through new materials and processes. Their partnership will cover comprehensive coating solutions, including electrodeposition, basecoats, and clearcoats, to deliver more competitive offerings.

Digitalization is another key aspect of the collaboration. The two companies will deepen cooperation in digital solutions, facilitating data sharing and system integration to enable intelligent and automated business operations.

BASF has been supplying Li Auto with a full range of coatings since 2016, meeting the latter's advanced technology requirements and consumer demands. In October 2024, Li Auto reached the milestone with one million vehicles delivered in just 58 months.

In the first two months of 2025, Li Auto delivered 29,927 vehicles in January and 26,263 in February, respectively. As of February 28, the company operated 500 retail stores across 150 cities in China, alongside 488 service centers and authorized body and paint shops in 224 cities. Its charging network continued to expand, reaching 1,874 supercharging stations with 10,008 charging stalls.