Under this title, an electric minivan Mega with a length of 5350 mm was released.
The Chinese company Li Auto chose the Mega minivan as its very first all-electric model, since the four previous ones were sequential hybrid crossovers in which the internal combustion engine recharged the traction battery and supplied electric motors that directly rotate the wheels with electricity. Mega was supposed to enter the market in December last year, but as a result, deliveries of the minivan in China will begin only in mid-March at a price of $77,800.
Image source: Li Auto
Calling the Mega the largest among mass-produced electric vehicles, Li Auto mentions only its length (5350 mm) and width (1965 mm), as well as the length of the wheelbase (3300 mm) and the maximum length of space inside the cabin (3800 mm). The body height of this seven-seater minivan is not specified, but the bizarre shape of the silhouette should be justified by a very low aerodynamic drag coefficient for cars of this class (0.215) and moderate electricity consumption of about 15.9 kWh per 100 km. A CATL traction battery with a capacity of 102.7 kWh should be enough for 710 km on the CLTC cycle.
Image source: Li Auto
Theoretically, the peak power of the express charging station to which the Li Mega can be connected reaches 520 kW, but in a steady state the machine can operate with a power of 400 kW and accept a current of no more than 700 A. To restore 500 km of power reserve, the minivan will have enough 12 or 15 minutes, depending on charging conditions. Theoretically, it is possible to replenish 80% of the traction battery capacity at an express charging station in 12 minutes.
The interior of the minivan can accommodate seven people and a fair amount of luggage; the interior space can be transformed in various ways and turned into sleeping places or comfortable beds for long trips. Traditionally, the cabin is stuffed with monitors, microphones and speakers, and most on-board devices and systems can be controlled using voice commands in Chinese. The on-board electronics include not only two NVIDIA Orin-X processors, but also a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295P processor. 5G connectivity with the ability to use two SIM cards provides support for the most advanced information services and allows for the implementation of advanced active driver assistance systems. Lidar is accompanied by several cameras and other sensors that provide autonomous vehicle control under certain conditions.
On the Chinese market, the Li Mega minivan is priced at $77,800, where it is currently offered in a single configuration, and among its competitors we can mention the previously presented XPeng X9, which in its basic version costs about $50,000. The segment of premium electric minivans in China is rapidly developing. Such cars are of interest not only to families with several children, but also to citizens who, due to tradition, take care of their parents, living with them as one large family.