Li Auto is a relatively young player in the Chinese auto market but quickly became popular with wealthy buyers in the People’s Republic. It still sells vehicles only in its home market but is currently looking to raise $2 billion from US investors in a new stock offering and potentially become a global brand. And judging by the two products, there is great potential in Li Auto to find new customers in the United States or Europe.
The L9 is a luxury family carrier and we talked about it in June this year when our friends at motorcycle taxis driver shared a static review of the BMW X7 competitor and made an appointment for a full behind the wheel video later this year. The moment has come and we are happy to share a test drive accompanied by an exclusive photo gallery attached below. All visual productions belong to motorcycle taxis driver who shared it with Motor1.com audience.
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The video at the top of this page was shot at a dedicated test site where the L9 was tested on asphalt and off paved roads. The 10-minute clip begins with a demonstration of the vehicle’s safety system, though it’s not something we haven’t seen before. We were much more interested in the deer test, which the L9 passed with flying colors, although we don’t know the maximum speed.
The Chinese luxury SUV is clearly not designed for off-road adventure, although – as this review shows – it can do quite well off-road. There’s no locking differential, although the electric motor of the hybrid powertrain seems to do a good job of power distribution when traction is low. In addition, 23.6 inches (60 centimeters) of water is also not a problem for vehicles.
Powering the L9 is a range extender hybrid system consisting of a 1.5 liter turbocharged engine and two electric motors. The peak output of the system is 440 horsepower (330 kilowatts). The 44.5 kilowatt-hour battery pack provides an electric range of up to 112 miles (180 kilometers), while acceleration from 0 to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) takes 5.3 seconds.
