Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Li Auto has set up a new subsidiary dedicated to integrated circuit chip design, underscoring its long-term strategy for independent research and development of core artificial intelligence technologies.
Corporate registration information shows that CoreChip Nucleus (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd. was incorporated on July 13, 2026, with a registered capital of RMB 100,000. Registered within the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone, the company’s business scope is tightly centered on core chip businesses, including technical services, technology development, IC chip design and related services, as well as the sales of integrated circuit chips and finished products. Its business portfolio covers the whole industrial chain of chip research, design, implementation and sales, which is highly aligned with the R&D demands for core smart vehicle hardware.
In terms of equity structure, the new entity is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Shanghai Li Auto Technology Co., Ltd. Corporate filing records indicate the legal representative is Wang Yang, a senior executive at Li Auto who concurrently serves as the company’s Joint Company Secretary.
This move builds upon Li Auto’s existing strategy for in-house development of AI chips. The self-developed Mach M100 dynamic data flow AI chip from Li Auto is fabricated on TSMC’s automotive-grade N5A (5nm) process node. It delivers a computing power of 1,280 TOPS for a single chip and up to 2,560 TOPS under a dual-chip configuration, with computing efficiency exceeding 82%. The chip has already entered mass deployment in the latest Li L9, L8 and L6 vehicle models.
The launch of this new subsidiary comes as Li Auto prioritizes self-developed chips at the heart of its future product roadmap. The upgraded 2026 Li L9 model is equipped with the proprietary M100 chip as part of the company’s initiative to strengthen its extended-range electric vehicle lineup and accelerate its strategy of vehicle intelligence powered by artificial intelligence.
Furthermore, Li Auto is streamlining its organizational framework to facilitate faster technological R&D cycles. In early July, the firm rolled out a new round of organizational restructuring designed to speed up product decision-making by consolidating more product-focused functions under its R&D division.
(Reprinted from https://news.eccn.com/）