The Li Auto L9 and Li ONE are ushering in a new category of "luxury cars for the family" that deserves a lot of attention, according to a team of local analysts.

(Image credit: Li Auto)

To some analysts, Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI, HKG: 2015) isn't as attractive as Nio (NYSE: NIO, HKG: 9866) and Xpeng Motors (NYSE: XPEV, HKG: 9868) because its current products are seen as transitional on the road to the electric vehicle era.

However, according to a team of local Chinese analysts, with the upcoming launch of the new SUV L9, Li Auto and its supply chain are expected to be the "dark horse" of the year.

"The most important reason we are particularly focused on Li Auto and its supply chain is that the Li Auto L9 could be the hottest-selling product in the new energy vehicle (NEV) market in 2022," said Soochow Securities analyst Huang Xili's team in a report Monday.

The L9 and Li ONE are creating a whole new category of "luxury cars for family users" and their popularity should be highly valued, the team said.

Li Auto announced on March 3 that it will unveil its global smart flagship SUV for families, named the Li Auto L9, at next month's Beijing Auto Show.

On March 9, Li Auto announced the SUV's price range, some spec information and interior.

The L9 will be a smart flagship SUV for families, and it will have a price range of RMB 450,000 ($71,200) - 500,000 yuan, the company said.

Li Auto is expected to announce more information about the SUV on March 16, according to its previous teaser.

The team at Soochow Securities believes that 2022 is a key year for the current round of automotive industry changes, and that the stock price pullback in the first quarter creates a very good opportunity for companies that are truly in line with industry trends and have long-term competitiveness.

The team's bullishness on Li Auto is based on two criteria at two current points in time: 1) the company is going to be the second most promising NEV brand besides Tesla; and 2) the company can benefit from the chip shortage.

"Our answer is that the biggest dark horse in 2022 could be Li Auto and its supply chain, and the L9 could be the best-selling new energy model in 2022," the team said.

Li Auto reveals price range, some specs for new SUV Li L9