Li Auto - The Next Big Chinese Auto Manufacturer? | Disruptive Investing News

I'm an American that has lived and worked full time in China for 16+ years. About 4 months ago I bought my first Chinese brand car, the Li Auto L7 and words can't describe how pleased I am with this car. The technology, the comfort, the driving experience, the entertainment system and smoothness from the air suspension is hard to put into words. I purchased the L7 Max which is considered the top of the line model but still is priced well below (1/2 the price of the EV BMW I was looking at) of the import EV's in the marketplace but twice the standard tech. I normally just use the electric motor since most of my daily commute is within the city but when I do hit the road I have the peace of mind knowing that with the range extender motor I have a range of 1,000+ kilometers. I'm not here to endorse or push their stock but I did add Li Auto to my stock portfolio when I purchased my car and the return has outperformed my expectations. Please do your own research .... The Big 3 need to wake up to see what is really going on in China when it comes to EV's

this type of EV called EREV (extended range electric vehicle)
i love this brand because it's making EV with a range extender, also BYD doing the same with their off road EREV. if they manage to bring INNengine to this masterpiece is going to be even better

If Li Auto could integrate the system in a camper van or RV bus that would bust open an entirety new market here in Australia.

This “range extender” system might be the best answer for Australians.
Let’s not beat about the bush it’s far more practical than just an electric vehicle.

At this point anyways, yes an all electric is environmentally better but until they conquer range anxiety I’m definitely in the market for something like a Li Auto L9, thing is it looks very similar to my Volvo XC90.

First, I can't believe the Chinese can afford to pay $50,000 plus for a car. Second, I'm 76 and don't want to leave home to go anywhere. The world is dangerous out there and way too expensive. I'll be dead soon enough, thank you. It seems the world I'm gonna miss is NOT worth a range extender.

Hi. Does anyone know when Li auto plans to go to Europe market?)

I think the LI 7 it has the perfect combination, no range stress for long trips and for the rest of the time, 90 % or more, you will move with battteries. The price is half of the Germany luxurie cars and i think they are even better.....i have share of Li Auto.

Li Auto's L8 is absolutely fabulous. They'll be releasing their 1st pure EV by Christmas. A MPV/Van

With all respect, some(if not most) of these messages are wrong... let me know if you need any information about LiAuto, because these are NOT Accurate.

What's more? LiAuto's SS Max (smart space) and AD Max (ADAS) are among the best in China. They built smart cars here in China! Also, unlike other companies, every thing is SELF DEVELOPED by LiAuto. The consumer electronic grade smart space, the state of the art ADAS system, and they really R&D hardware and software. The drive train, and XCU, chassis is also Self tuned by Liauto. In fact, they have one of the best vehicle tuning team in automotive industry.

LiAuto L9, L8, L7 are ranged extended vehicles. The difference is that you can drive daily on pure EV mode for weekdays. 215kms pure EV range. Extended range is 1315kms. if you want to go on a roadtrip, it doesn't rely on charging , just pump in fuel, very flexible! if you are in China, you are more than welcome to take my L9 out for a ride~

ELECTRIC IS NOT THE ANSWER....................WIND AND SOLAR IS BULLSHIT AND WILL ONLY ACCOUNT FOR 18% DEMAND IF EVERYTHING IS WORKING PERFECT.......STOP LYING TO PEOPLE

The stereotype of China is really serious, the most users of this car are the users of the German troika, because he can give the comfort configuration, completely more than the German car, urban electricity, long-distance gasoline, which is very convenient. And China's environment and climate is very good, you can come and have a look when you have time.

I've been waiting for Chinese EVs. But realize I should just move to china.

I have had a 2023 ID4 Pro for a few months and have yet to go for a long drive that fully exhausts its 82 kWh battery. From a customer's point of view, most of the batteries you bought are idle for 80% of the driving time. This range extension idea is an attractive alternative so that you (1) do not pay for excessive battery; (2) use a lot less gas than a fully ICE car for the sake of the environment; (3) spend less time waiting for charging. I will go for one if Li Auto comes to the US.

Trend in China now is almost all Chinese PHEV models have large capacity batteries (15kwh to 45kwh) which enable them to run in pure EV mode from 50 miles to 140 miles. Everyone seems having figured out that the selling point of PHEV is that it can run as EV for daily commute while without range and charge anxiety on long distance travels. It is cheaper upfront purchase than EV, low running and maintenance cost than ice vichael and has all advantage features an EV has. Perfect. The key point here is the large capacity battery of PHEV. Li auto is the first company in the world to make PHEV with large battery with pure EV range over 120 miles.

I prefer a BEV because I don't have to do oil changes and all the gasoline car engine maintenance. I had to change my water pump on my gasoline car (at 60K miles) for $900. Brake pads & rotors for ~$700. Do I need to do that on a Li vehicle? The range is nice but the maintenance cost? No thanks. I'm NOT going back to a gasoline car.

This seems disruptive in the near term but less so in the long term. However I do like that they put a decent size battery in the vehicle

So Li Auto is doing what the 2014 BMW i3 or the 2011 Chevrolet Volt did with a range extender, scooter motor in the case of the BMW, to extend range, or provide support for range anxiety. So should other car makers (beyond Tesla, Rivian and Lucid,) go this route to cut costs? Should GM, Ford and Stellantis design cars in this manner for the North American market in 2024 and beyond? I am not convinced. I would think you would be better off putting those hybrid engineering and packaging efforts into lowering BEV production costs. Although there would be Americans that would buy a series hybrid, but again at what cost. The short term ROI for a car company may look promising, but BEV engineering time would be lost and the likes of Tesla's BEV engineering efforts are not slowing down.

As a counter argument, GM Mary doesn't think GM will be profitable on BEVs for another 7 years. So, by that thinking they should go for series hybrids. This may work to get GM profits in the short term for a small car sold at volume and sell high priced BEVs until the engineering and production can catch up. But this all relies on a serious parallel mission to move the bulk of their fleet to BEV. Otherwise, it may be too little too late for GM to survive the BEV onslaught from BEV only makers like Tesla and BEV innovators from Asia.

*Arguments predicated on the assumption that a series hybrid could be made cheaper and thus more profitable than a pure BEV.

The TCO will likely be higher, due to all the added complexity of being a hybrid. In future, finding gas stations is going to be harder, so not sure this will be very practical beyond the next few years. A few more charging stations will solve the same problem with less expense and bother to the user.

This is what the volt could have evolved to if GM had any interest in changing.

Thats why I invested in them a year ago. They are the only one which combine the BEV features with the only way that makes sense for a hybrid. You have a decent battery and a small ICE engine, which always runs on best efficiency to feed that battery. And they fill a wanted GAP in China. Would also sell very good here in Europa. German Angst of range fear would not be a problem anymore. Daily use you only drive electric and for long range traveling you still have the help of the engine and Diesel Dieter can drive his 1000km if needed.

Ideal for where I live in Canada. The odd long drive with limited charging…no worries. The other 90% of driving would be easily handled with couple hundred km of electric range. The perfect transition car to own for the next decade.

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu

L7 is a packaging exercise

Are they profitable? Plug-in hybrids are expensive to produce. At their price point, is this product viable? What about reliability. Much more complicated than a pure EV. The Volt was discontinue because GM was loosing money on them. Etc. Etc.

I think the range extender really is key. I started my journey to electric with a Chevy Volt and it was a fantastic car. I drove my volt about 14,000 miles/yr and only used about 30 gallons of gas, which is way better than a hybrid, which is what most people here go with. There are too many places where I live in the rural Midwest where pure electric is a problem. Look at the charger desert in North-Central Wisconsin. There are "edge" cases that many people here (including me) do a few times a month. Towing and especially cold weather are a problem. For example, towing a couple of snowmobiles when it's -10F drops my Model X range to about 90 miles. I towed the same sleds with my Volt without any range concerns.

I have a 2023 Model X and I still have half a dozen times per year where we have to use my girlfriends Toyota Highlander hybrid because my Model X can't make it. And I have to say, charging with the Model X while towing is a total pain. Most people would never consider it acceptable to have to unhitch the trailer in some remote lot somewhere so they can charge. It may not be common on the coasts, but here in the rural Midwest, it effects probably 20-30% of population.

I think range extended hybrid pickups and SUVs would be huge here. Pure electrics are a long way from meeting our needs.

I think hybrids, with a solar panel on the roof and hood to charge the battery on the fly or when parked would be good - and the extender could help to reach far places, etc. I'd like to see more of this on vans, and 4x4. not just soft SUVs. And the ability to power appliances is important these days.