We used to laugh at Chinese cars, but now it seems they're laughing at us. The new Li Auto L9 is an SUV that offers the power of a supercar, the range of the best diesel, and the intelligence of your laptop. Do established luxury brands really have anything to fear? Absolutely, and with good reason.
If I had told you a decade ago that a Chinese manufacturer would launch a car that would shake the foundations of the German automotive elite, you would probably have advised me to get a good night's rest and less caffeine. But here we are, in 2026, and a new Li Auto L9A car that brings not just evolution to the road, but a complete technological offensive.
Let's start with the exterior. The new Li Auto L9 It is definitely not a small car. In terms of length, it is quite substantial. 5,255 mm, it extends across 2,000mm, and measures in height 1,810mmIts wheelbase is as long as 3.125mm. To put it simply: it's a car that takes up the space of a small post office on the road. It's placed on a massive 22-inch rims, and up front, an interactive “Star Ring” LED light strip greets you as you approach, now glowing in three colors and working in conjunction with new Ultra-Wideband (UWB) sensing technology. As you approach, the car literally greets you.
But the real magic lies beneath the sheet metal. The new L9 in the Livis version it brings advanced 800-volt active suspension and a chassis that is fully electronically controlled (steer-by-wire and electromechanical braking EMB). And now for something really fun: The official Chinese brochures initially awkwardly stated that the car had a turning circle of 5.3 kilometers. Unless you're piloting an oil tanker in the Suez Canal with this car, of course, that's a typographical error. Thanks to clever four-wheel steering, this 5.2-meter behemoth turns in stunning 5.3 metersThis means that in the parking lot in front of the shopping center, it is more agile than many European city toddlers.
Capabilities that rewrite the laws of physics
Although it looks like a luxury living room on wheels, the Li Auto L9 moves like a projectile. The heart of the powertrain is a new generation 1.5-liter turbocharged gasoline engine, which does not drive the wheels, but acts solely as a range extender. The movement itself is provided by two intelligent electric motors, which provide four-wheel drive.
The result is a number that would put many a pedigreed athlete to shame: 420 kW (563 hp) power and incredible 710 Nm (523 lb-ft) of torque. This two-ton colossus will catapult you from 0 to 100 km/h (0–62 mph) in just 4.9 secondsThe top speed for these types of electric crossovers is usually limited to around 200 km/h (124 mph), but let's be honest – in a car this size, the acceleration alone is enough to make passengers grip the leather handles convulsively.
A huge battery with a capacity of 72.7 kWhIf you choose to drive purely on electricity, you will travel up to, according to the optimistic CLTC standard 420 kilometersBut when the supply runs out and the gasoline generator wakes up, the total range increases to absurd lengths. 1,650 kilometersThis means you can cross most of Europe without stopping. If you rely solely on the petrol engine with a flat battery, the consumption will be very moderate. 6.3 l/100 km.
But if you do stop at the filling station, you'll be impressed by the architecture. 5C super charging, which allows charging power to amazing 420 kWYou will charge the battery from 10 % to 80 % in total 10 minutesJust right to stretch your legs and have a coffee.
Hollywood experience and the mind of a genius
The interior of the L9 is where the competition really starts to sweat. Forget about classic displays or analog gauges. They've been replaced by a massive 29-inch 6K ultrawide panoramic display, which takes up almost the entire dashboard. All of this is powered by the latest and brutally fast processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 8797 Elite.
If you're an audiophile, the "Immaculate Star Ring Theatre" system will leave you speechless. We're talking 9.3.6 surround sound with peak power of incredible 5,440W. If you listen to a classical music concert in this car, I guarantee you'll hear the conductor in the second row adjusting his tie.
And when driving becomes unnecessary, there's self-driving technology. The car is equipped with four LiDAR sensors and two proprietary "Mach 100" chips (made in 5nm technology). Their combined computing power amounts to unimaginable 2560 TOPSThis car sees, understands, and analyzes the world around it faster and better than any human driver.
Conclusion: Luxury that breaks taboos and prices
And here we come to the part where we turn to price. New Li Auto L9 is sold on the domestic Chinese market for a price between 459,800 and 509,800 yuanThis translates to between 67,600 and 75,000 US dollarsJust think – for an amount that would barely buy you a well-equipped mid-range sedan from a European premium brand, here you get a technological spaceship with the power of a supercar, 800V architecture and sound of a cinemaIf this car had a European or American badge, the sellers would shamelessly ask for three times that price and then offer you the steering wheel as an accessory.
Of course, the market for electric and range-extender vehicles is extremely competitive, and although Li Auto's sales have fluctuated slightly recently due to the pressure of pure electric models, their new i6 model has proven that they can reach the very top of the charts. Li Auto L9 is the icing on the cake – proof that in the automotive world we may still be looking for faults, but here they are damn hard to find. It is an impressive machine that combines raw power, incredible comfort and brilliant technology. Even if you are not a fan of new technological brands, you have to admit: what they have created is simply fantastic. The future is clearly not coming anymore, but is already parked in the east. And it sounds incredibly good.
