Chinese EV maker Li Auto has moved beyond cars and into the world of smart wearables with the launch of its first AI glasses, called Livis. The company is diving into a fast-growing market already occupied by big names like Alibaba, Huawei, and Xiaomi.
The Livis glasses are priced at 1,999 yuan, but early buyers can get them for less. Anyone who orders before December 31 will receive a 15 per cent government-backed rebate, lowering the cost to 1,699 yuan. That makes it one of the most affordable pairs currently available in China.
Competitive Pricing Among Tech Rivals
At this price point, Livis sits in the same range as other major products. Huawei’s Eyewear 2, launched last year, also starts at 1,699 yuan. Alibaba’s Quark G1, which arrived just last month, and Xiaomi’s AI Glasses from June are both selling at a discounted 1,899 yuan. (Alibaba owns the Post.)
Lightweight Build With Strong Battery Life
Livis is also impressively light, weighing only 36 grams without lenses. Even with its slim frame, the battery performance stands out. Under normal daily use, it can run for around 18.8 hours, and up to 78 hours when idle. That gives it an edge over many competing models.
Like other smart glasses on the market, Livis can take photos and videos, and record conversations. It also supports voice commands for Li Auto vehicles, letting users control functions like opening the trunk by speaking directly to the glasses.
More Features Coming Soon
Li Auto has more planned for future updates. In the first half of 2026, the company aims to roll out enhanced AI features, including the ability to “summon a vehicle”, allowing a car to drive itself out of a parking spot when called.
To improve vision quality, Li Auto partnered with lens specialist Zeiss. Users can even order prescription lenses online and have them made and shipped the same day after uploading their eye test results.
Smart Glasses Become the New Tech Focus
Li Auto’s move into smart eyewear is part of a broader shift happening in China. Over recent months, companies like Alibaba, Xiaomi, and Baidu have introduced their own AI glasses. Baidu’s Xiaodu AI Glass Pro, released last month, weighs 39 grams without lenses and sells for 2,299 yuan.
Industry experts see the growing wearable trend as a response to slowing smartphone sales and rising AI innovation. Owen Liu Chuang, senior researcher at Runto, explained that the expansion of AI glasses reflects companies’ search for a new kind of personal device beyond laptops and phones.
“Stagnation in the global smartphone market, combined with technological breakthroughs in AI and hardware, has paved the way for this new category” he said. He added that AI glasses are viewed as a way to offer “a more natural, hands-free interaction with AI”.
IDC China analyst Ye Qingqing echoed this view, saying smart glasses are seen as “the next-generation gateway for intelligent interaction, possessing multi-modal perception capabilities through voice and vision”, with the ability to provide AI services instantly to users.
What Gives Each Brand an Edge?
Experts say different companies bring unique strengths to the field. Alibaba and Baidu, for example, can connect glasses with their app ecosystems, showcasing their AI muscle. Meanwhile, phone makers like Huawei and Xiaomi benefit from existing mobile networks and hardware expertise.
Li Auto’s potential advantage lies in its vehicles. By offloading heavy processing to its in-car chips, the glasses can remain light while still performing like a high-end smartphone. Liu noted that this could help Li Auto deliver strong computing power without adding bulk.
IDC’s Ye also highlighted the brand’s strength in the travel and mobility space, saying Li Auto could “achieve functional synergy between vehicle and glasses platforms”.
Li Auto isn’t the only carmaker with this idea. Nio released its Air AR Glasses last year for 2,299 yuan, but they have since sold out online.
ALSO READ: How To Monitor Your Child’s YouTube History Without Them Turning It Off
