Industry dynamics

Li Auto to launch 1st BEV model, Li Mega, in Dec

Publishtime:1970-01-01 08:00:00 Views:24

Li Mega show cars will be available in stores next January, with deliveries beginning in February, Li Auto announced at the Chengdu auto show, which began today.

Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) will officially launch its first battery electric vehicle (BEV) model, the Li Mega, in December, following the success of its extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) models.

The Li Mega will be officially launched in December, with show cars available in stores in January next year and deliveries starting in February, Li Auto announced at the Chengdu auto show, which began today.

Li Auto reiterated its confidence that the Li Mega will be the highest-selling vehicle in China priced at more than 500,000 yuan ($68,630), regardless of energy form or body style.

The Li Mega will break the traditional perception that premium pure EVs cannot be a blockbuster product and will truly exceed user demand, said Li Auto vice president Liu Jie.

Li Auto currently has three models on sale, the five-seat Li L7, and the six-seat Li L8 and Li L9, all of which are EREVs, essentially plug-in hybrids.

All three models are currently built at Li Auto's plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu province. The plant is currently facing capacity bottlenecks, and Li Xiang, Li Auto's founder, chairman and CEO, said last week that the parts capacity bottleneck will be resolved in October.

The Li Mega will be produced at a plant in Beijing, where Li Auto is headquartered, which has launched trial production, the company said today.

Li Auto's Beijing plant has completed all construction work and will officially go into production early next year, according to the company.

Like its other major local counterparts, Li Auto is pushing ahead with its supercharging network.

By this year's National Day holiday, Li Auto will have 100 supercharging stations completed, covering popular driving routes, the company said today.

October 1 is China's National Day, and this year's legal holiday runs from September 29 to October 6, with September 29 being the Mid-Autumn Festival. October 7 and October 8 will be work days, though they are weekends.

By the end of the year, Li Auto will have 300 supercharging stations along highways, it said.

($1 = RMB 7.2853)

Prototype rumored to be Li Auto's Li Mega revealed on Chinese social media