- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru He
Li L9. Better than the Li One
The talented Chinese company Li Auto has turned its flagship, the Li L9 SUV, into a series plug-in hybrid, just like the first-born of the brand, the successful Li One. But we can already safely say that the second model is clearly better than the first: the electric driving range has increased to 215 km, and the total range (including the gasoline engine) is now about 1,315 km. Sales of new models began on June 21, 2022. The manufacturer offers a choice of two versions: entry-level and top-end. The price in China varies from 70,000 to 75,000 dollars.
Exterior
The new Li L9 looks modern, but at the same time, quite calm and harmonious. The large SUV is 5,218 mm long, 1,998 mm wide and 1,800 mm high. Its wheelbase is huge, reaching 3,105 mm. Depending on the version, the wheels have a diameter of 20 or 21 inches.
Interior and equipment
The vehicle is equipped with five screens! A small monitor right on the steering wheel plays the role of a dashboard. The central screen is huge (15.7-inch) and comprises climate control, navigation and other settings. The front passenger multimedia screen has the same size. There is a head-up display on the windshield. And the rear passengers can use another multimedia screen on the ceiling with a diagonal of 15.7 inches. The 6-seater, 3-row SUV comes with the ventilated and massage front seats, while the second row seats have retractable footrests. All 6 seats are upholstered in Nappa leather and are electrically adjustable and heated. The rear passengers can use folding shelves (hidden in the backs of the front seats) and a refrigerator in the central tunnel.
To live up to its flagship title and its high price, the 2023 Li L9 features AI powered by two Qualcomm Snapdragon 8155 processors. The system is capable of learning and interacting with the driver. There is an intelligent autopilot AD Max, which reads the environment 360° using a bunch of cameras. The on-board lidar displays 1.53 million points per second to create a detailed 3D terrain model. Initially, AD Max corresponds to the level 2 autonomy (similar to the Li One), but it can be updated to the level 4 when the software allows.
Powertrains
The most interesting thing about the Li Auto flagship is the series hybrid system, consisting of an internal combustion engine and a pair of electric motors. A 1.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder L2E15M engine with 154 hp charges a traction battery with a capacity of 44.5 kWh. The four drive wheels of the Li L9 are driven by two electric motors located on both axles. The maximum power of the front engine is 177 hp, while the rear engine produces 272 hp. The total output of the entire system is 449 hp and 620 Nm. The engines cooperate with a single-speed gearbox. The SUV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.3 seconds, while the maximum speed is limited at around 180 km/h. The driving range on pure electricity reaches 215 km, while the total range increases to 1,315 km in hybrid mode (thanks to a 65-liter tank of gasoline).
