Chinese EV maker Li Auto launches L9 to take on BMW and Audi

Chinese electric vehicle brand Li Auto unveiled Li L9, a six-seat, full-size flagship SUV on Tuesday, to take on the likes of BMW and Audi.

L9 is open for reservation starting today and will arrive at all Li Auto retail stores nation-wide by July 1, with test drives available from July 16. The first deliveries are scheduled to begin by the end of August 2022.

The L9 will be able to go up to 1,315 kilometers on a single charge as a result of the enhanced capacity of its battery.

It’s the company’s second model in its seven-year history and is priced at 459,800 yuan ($68,734). BMW’s X5 starts at 605,000 yuan in China, while prices for Audi’s Q5 range from 400,000 yuan to 500,000 yuan.

“This is a full-size SUV with no match on the market,” Li Xiang, co-founder and CEO of Li Auto, told a virtual launch event. “No carmaker has been as meticulous as us in developing and manufacturing an SUV that can cater to all transport demands of a household.”

“The three-generation family with two children shall be the major target of the L9, and I am confident that by September, monthly deliveries can reach 10,000 cars, as long as Covid-19 is under control,” Li said. 

Meanwhile, the company announced that it will open-source its fully self-developed AEB system to promote autonomous driving safety technology in the industry and make travel safer for more users.

Beijing-based Li Auto, along with Shanghai-based NIO and Guangzhou-based Xpeng, are seen as the three major players in China’s premium EV segment.