Li Auto unveils its first BEV model

The van has a 400 kW electric drive system and can accelerate from zero to 100 kph in 5.5 seconds. It has three rows and a 17-inch screen for the rear passengers.

The Li Mega comes with CATL’s Qilin battery and n 800 V architecture, thus supporting 5C ultra-fast charging. The battery has an energy content of 102.7 kWh. According to the carmaker, it will take only about 12 minutes to add 500 kilometres of range at the corresponding DC charger.

On top of launching an EV, Li Auto is setting up its own charging infrastructure in China and hopes to have installed 300 of the 5C supercharging stations nationwide by the end of the year. By 2025, the plan is to have ten times more. Currently, the manufacturer has about 119 of these stations up and running.

Even though customers can already reserve the electric van, the carmaker has not yet communicated the final price of the vehicle. However, it did say that the highest trim level will likely cost less than 600,000 yuan, which is about 83,000 dollars. The carmaker adds that customers who put down the 5,000 yuan (700 USD) deposit to reserve the Li Mega can request a refund.

The Li Mega measures 5,350/1,965/1,850 mm in length, width and height, respectively.

The wheelbase is 3,300 mm. The all-electric Multi-Purpose Vehicle (MVP) is the manufacturer’s first all-electric car. So far, Li Auto only has hybrid models with range extenders (EREV) on the market. However, it plans to show five BEV models by 2025 at the Auto China in Shanghai. All will be based on an 800-volt platform.

Update 5 March 2024

Li Auto officially launched the Li Mega MPV in China a few weeks later than planned. Prices start at 559,800 yuan ($77,770), as Li Auto currently only offers the Max trim. Deliveries of the manufacturer’s first battery-electric car will kick off on 11 March 2024.

The BEV has a CLTC range of 710 kilometres (575 km WLTC). It is fitted with the Qilin 5C ternary NMC battery from CATL with a capacity of 102.7 kWh and powered by a dual electric motor with a total power of 400 kW and a total torque of 542 Nm.

Chinese customers who order their Li Mega before the rollout on 11 March can get a free 20 kW DC charger or 6,000 kWh of free charging as a bonus.

carnewschina.com, cnevpost.com, cnevpost.com, carnewschina.com (both update)