Li Auto, a Chinese car manufacturer, is entering the all-electric vehicle market with five battery electric vehicle (BEV) models planned by 2025. Until now, the company specialised in producing hybrid models with range extenders (EREV). Li Auto made the announcement at the Auto China event in Shanghai and emphasized the use of an 800-volt platform and extra-fast charging capabilities.
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The first of the planned BEV models will rely on Qilin batteries from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL), which offer a 4C charging rate and use the latest cell-to-pack technology. This means that an 80 kWh battery pack could be charged with up to 320 kW, or in just 15 minutes. However, no technical data has been released for the upcoming models.
Li Auto also presented its own 800-volt fast-charging station at the event, which can offer charging capacities of up to 480 kW. The company plans to install 300 fast-chargers along Chinese motorways this year, with 3,000 planned by 2025. Each station will have one super-fast 4C charging station and three regular fast-charging stations, covering 90% of China’s highway network and major cities.
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While Li Auto’s model range currently consists of several SUVs with combustion engines, the company has been successful, with 20,832 vehicles delivered in March and 52,584 in the first quarter of 2023. The addition of all-electric models to its portfolio is a strategic move to compete in the growing electric vehicle market.
