Many of the new brands that have entered the Philippines are competing in the mass market segments. There are only a select few that dared to go against the premium category currently dominated by Lexus, followed by European brands. Upcoming brand Li Auto is set to join the upmarket arena with 3 initial offerings. They already displayed the L7 and L9 at The Podium, and will bring a third EV MPV once they officially launch in the country. For now, let’s take a look at what they brought.
Their story started in 2015 when Li Xiang, owner of motoring website Autohome.com.cn, started a company that produces low-speed EVs for car-sharing and ride-hailing services. Later on, they decided to rebrand as Li Auto and pivoted to range-extender vehicles that they became known for. In 2022, Ben Baum – formerly of Audi and Porsche – joined them and designed the L7 and L9 that will be available here in the Philippines. They also opened a design studio in Munich last year and just this January, opened a Research and Development Center in the same city.
“Filipinos’ strong family values align perfectly with our vision so we are confident that they will appreciate the unique blend of luxury and technology that Li Auto offers” said Stone Yu, CEO of Li Auto Philippines.
In terms of size, the L7 and L9 are big boys. The L7 measures 5,050mm long, 1,995mm wide, and 1,750mm tall, so a tad larger than your Fortuners and Everests. Meanwhile, the L9 is 5,218mm long, 1,998mm wide, and 1,800mm tall putting it in the league of the Toyota Land Cruiser and new Nissan Patrol.
Li Auto’s SUVs have some peculiarities that make them distinct. Outside, you’ll notice they don’t have a grille despite being Plug-in Hybrids. They make do with the lower intake and their prominent feature is the DRL strip at the edge of the hood.
Their radar sensors are also outside the car, above the windshield, instead of the usual behind the rearview mirror. Lastly, they have 3 cameras on each side. There’s one on the wheel fender panel, one under the side mirror, and another on the side mirror’s stem.
The cabin is also a refreshing sight in terms of aesthetics and features. You’ll immediately notice the info screen on the steering wheel itself, complemented by a heads-up display. There’s still a unified screen but they are positioned at the center of the dash and on the front passenger itself. Li Auto says owners can put a sim card there or connect via WiFi, allowing them to watch while the driver is solely focused on driving.
Their center console doesn’t have a gear shifter anymore. In its place are 2 wireless chargers and a dock for the keyfob. There’s also a camera above the rearview mirror and the sunroof is divided into the front and second row.
A sensible feature for both the L7 and L9 is the Low Loading feature at the cargo area. There’s a button that allows the car to lower the air suspension only for the rear axle, allowing you to load up heavy things a bit easier.
Where the two SUVs differ is at the second row and beyond. The L7 is a 5-seater that comes with 2 premium seats in the second row. These have a “Spa Level” massage feature, as well as cooling and heating. They also get their own air control and a mini cooling box behind the center console. It’s also available with a second row 15-inch flip-down display for the top of the line model.
Powering the L7 are 2 electric motors giving it AWD capability, paired to a 1.5L turbo engine and a 42.8 kWh battery or 52.3 kWh for the top trim. It produces 449 PS and 620 Nm of torque making it go 0-100kph in 5.3 seconds. It has an EV only range of more than 200 km, while combined range is at 1,360km – 1,421km, depending on the variant.
It also features NVIDIA and Qualcomm chips for its computer systems. There are 10-11 cameras but the upper variants get more high resolution modules. Auto Park Assist and Remote Parking is standard, while the top trim has Automatic Valet Parking. There’s no price yet for the L7 but it will come in 3 variants named Pro, Max, and Ultra.
The bigger of the two – the L9 – is a 6-seater SUV that features 2 captain seats on the second row and spacious 2 folding seats in the third row. The captain seats have powered adjustment with the right seat being a bit more special. They both get foot rests but the right side has an additional flip-down tray from the front passenger seat. It also has a “Queen Seat” mode where the seat will be reclined, the legrests would come out, and the footrest would fold down. The front passenger seat will also be pushed forward for maximum space for the right captain seat.
Just like in the L7, the L9 has a separate air control and mini cooling box behind the center console. The second row also gets their own 15-inch screen, as well as a camera for monitoring occupants.
The third row isn’t left out either. They have dedicated air vents while the seats have ventilation and powered adjustment for the backrest. Each seat also has a dedicated power button in the cargo area so they can fold down nice and easy.
There’s only 2 variants for the L9 – Pro and Ultra, and they come with a more standard range. It shares the same power figures as the L7 but has 1,412km combined range. It’s available with the NVIDIA Orin X chipset, 11 cameras, and 128-line LiDAR sensor.
You can see the new Li Auto L7 and L9 for yourself at SM Mall of Asia from April 4 to 10, 2025. They will also open their first showroom soon in BGC.
