Gasgoo Munich- Li Auto founder Li Xiang recently suggested that chassis technology could be the final weak link for Chinese automakers going global. While domestic new-energy vehicles have taken the lead in intelligent interaction, driver assistance, and powertrains, he noted that chassis engineering still lags behind top-tier brands like Porsche and Ferrari.
Image source: Li Auto
Li Xiang revealed that while the first-generation Li L9 was a success in 2022, the team felt something was missing. That year, they set a target: bring the second-generation L9's chassis technology to the forefront of the global SUV market. The all-new Li L9 Livis features 800V active suspension, with handling dynamics benchmarked against the Ferrari Purosangue. Li Xiang noted that friends who test-drove the new electric Cayenne Turbo reported its handling on mountain roads felt comparable to the L9 Livis, despite the Cayenne Turbo being a smaller vehicle that also employs 800V active suspension.
The vehicle officially launches and delivers on May 15. Previously, the Li L9 Livis made its global debut at the Auto China 2026 on April 24, 2026, though the interior remained off-limits at the time. The new model also boasts a full steer-by-wire chassis, including steer-by-wire, rear-wheel steering, and brake-by-wire systems. Each door is equipped with an independent DCU and a power-loss redundancy design to ensure they can be opened even in extreme scenarios; additionally, all four doors feature capacitive anti-pinch strips to reduce the risk of injuries from the soft-close mechanism.
Furthermore, the all-new Li L9 Livis will be powered by a 5C range-extender system, dual Mach 100 chips delivering a combined 2,560 TOPS of computing power, and a next-generation smart cockpit. Further details will be unveiled at the launch event on May 15.
