New spy shots have emerged of the all-electric Li Auto SUV codenamed S01 being tested, these also include the first shots of the interior. According to Li Auto’s new roadmap, the company is expected to launch five pure electric models in 2025. The first is expected to be a medium to large 6-seater SUV which should appear in the first half of next year.
Obviously from the shots we can see that the exterior is heavily camouflaged and it is difficult to make out the shape of the car. The front of the car seems to be less steeply raked than in previous shots. However, this may well be the result of foam padding which while not as obvious as on the roof and sides is probably the cause of the more conventional front look.
It is widely expected that the new cars will continue the general appearance first seen with the Li Mega MPV, with a focus on low wind resistance. Li Auto has adopted a design principle of “less but better” which is similar to a design concept proposed by Steve Jobs. In it, form follows function and design is guided by the needs of the users and their expectations are translated into usable design forms. For the car, this translates into the layout of space, the selection of parts and materials and the definition of processes in order to highlight the function, scientific, and technological value of the product.
Li Auto has had a lot of success with its L series of extended-range SUVs. The company obviously sees no need to change the formula significantly when it comes to producing fully electric cars. Despite the very poor quality interior spy shots, we can see that the new car follows the general layout made popular in the L series. There is the same steering wheel and large central infotainment screen design along with air conditioning vents and mobile phone storage space under the screen.
Given Li Auto’s investment into its supercharging network we can expect that the new SUV will almost certainly have been built on the 800V platform and have 5C supercharging capabilities. It is possible that the SUV will use the same 102.7 KWH battery pack as used in the Li Mega (see specs). The battery in the Mega is a CATL Qilin unit and can charge from 10-80% in ten minutes. One of the reasons for the postponement of the all-electric SUV has been to ensure that the Li Auto supercharging network has more time to roll out. The target calls for over 2000 by the end of 2024, as of the end of June there were 600 in operation.
Source: Autohome