Li Auto, one of the top new energy vehicle startups in China, underwent several changes in 2022, both structural and product wise.

Photo credit: Li Auto

Through 2022, the startup launched three new vehicle models, all of which adhere to the company’s vision of building cars for families. During the year, Li Auto discontinued its Li ONE signature SUV, and made the Li L8 its successor. The adjusted product structure landed Li Auto its best performing monthly record in December 2022, in terms of deliveries.

ZXZC gathered a log of the major activities performed by Li Auto in the past year.

Five major Chinese NEV startups all score blooming YoY rise in 2022 deliveries

In Dec. 2022, Li Auto ranked highest with a delivery volume of 21,233 units. Notably, it was also the fastest Chinese NEV startup to surpass the 20,000 monthly delivery mark. Li Auto saw its monthly deliveries hit a new high of 21,233 units (+50.7% YoY), bringing the company's fourth-quarter (Q4) deliveries to 46,319 units, which rose 31.5% year over year.

As of Dec. 2022, Li Auto had cumulatively delivered 257,334 vehicles, 133,246 units of which were delivered this year.

Li Auto names new president, chief technology officer

Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) startup Li Auto today announced three important personnel changes to its board of directors and senior management.

Taking effect on January 1, 2023, Mr. Shen Yanan will resign as an executive director and the president of Li Auto in order to devote more time to his personal affairs.

Li Auto launches Li L8, L7 at one go

Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) startup Li Auto launched two new models today–the Li L8 six-seater SUV and the Li L7 five-seater SUV, both of which comes with a Pro and a Max version.

To be specific, the Li L8 Pro and Max are priced at 359,800 yuan and 399,800 yuan, respectively, while the Li L7 features a retail price range of 339,800 yuan (Pro) to 379,800 yuan (Max).

Former Huawei executive joins Li Auto

China’s new energy vehicle company Li Auto has named Xie Yan, former vice president of Huawei Consumer Business Group’s software unit, as its leader of system R&D department, local media 36Kr reported, citing several people familiar with the matter.

Xie’s responsibilities in the startup include the development of underlying intelligent technologies, such as in-house developed operating system and computing power platform. The people also pointed out that the platform business incorporates the development of intelligent driving chips, which has involved dozens of staff with a clear production timeline.

Li Auto breaks ground on power semiconductor R&D, production base in Suzhou

On August 24, Li Auto officially started construction of its power semiconductor R&D and production base in Suzhou city, Jiangsu province, indicating that the Chinese NEV startup has launched its self-owned industrial chain deployment for the next-generation high-voltage electric drive technologies.

According to Li Auto's press release, the new Suzhou facility will focus on the R&D and production of the third-generation automotive-grade SiC power modules, aiming to develop the capabilities of designing and manufacturing automobile-dedicated power modules.

Li Auto to build auto parts industrial park in Changzhou city

Li Auto recently signed an agreement to build a new auto parts industrial park in Changzhou city, Jiangsu province, where its self-built car manufacturing plant is located.

As publicly disclosed, Li Auto's Changzhou car plant covers an area of 750mu (500,000 square meters) and features an annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles. It started the volume production of the Li ONE, the startup's first production model, in November 2019, and hit a cumulative production volume of 200,000 units on August 1, 2022.

Li Auto officially launches 2nd model L9, priced at RMB459,800

On June 21st, China’s up-rising new energy vehicle startup Li Auto officially introduced its second production model, the L9, to the public eye, and kicked off presale.

The model inherits Li ONE’s family-oriented vision, positioned as a family-friendly intelligent flagship SUV with the space of an MPV. The full-size SUV is 5,218mm long, 1,988mm wide, and 1,800mm tall, with a wheelbase that spans 3,105mm.

Li Auto breaks ground on 2nd phase of Beijing industrial park

On June 14, Li Auto broke ground on the second phase of its industrial park in Shunyi district, Beijing, which is anticipated to start operation at the end of 2023, according to a local media channel.

The new facility is located in Zhongguancun Shunyi Garden, where Li Auto is headquartered. It covers an area of 58,600 square meters with a total investment of around 1.3 billion yuan. It will be built into an industrial park that integrates functions of administration and technology R&D.

Li Auto releases first ESG report

On April 19th, Li Auto released its first ESG Report (Environmental, Social, and Governance), demonstrating the auto startup’s contribution to the environment and the society in the past

According to the report, a Li ONE plug-in hybrid electric vehicle produces 236.1 g of carbon dioxide per kilometer, summing up to 35,415 kg of emission during its full life cycle. To further its determination to the carbon neutrality goal, the automaker plans to launch high-voltage pure-electric vehicle models starting 2023.

Li Auto's CEO calls for mandatory AEB system on new vehicles

With L2 autonomous driving functions being broadly applied to China’s passenger vehicles, Li Auto’s founder and CEO, Li Xiang, proposed that new vehicles should come standard with the AEB system at the 2022 China EV100 Forum.

autonomous driving systems. Relating technologies such as ACC, AEB, LKS, and APA are already broadly used on mass production vehicles.