Li Auto Mega people-mover eyes Australian arrival

Li Auto is going right-hand drive, and it’s the big boss himself who has spilled the beans. Chairman and CEO Xiang Li used the Chinese brand’s second-quarter earnings call to confirm an export push that starts with its most outrageous model – the Mega electric people-mover.

Li Auto CEO Xiang Li confirmed the brand will be pushing into right-hand drive markets with two models ear-marked for export.

“For right-hand drive markets, in addition to launching Li Mega in Hong Kong and Singapore by the end of this year, we’ll also be rolling out the right-hand drive version of the Li i6 to complete our model lineup in the right-hand drive market,” Li told the earnings call.

While the Li Mega is the headliner, the Li i6 is the second string, a large electric SUV with an 87.3kWh lithium iron phosphate battery, up to 720km of range and up to 400kW/660Nm.

The Li Mega isn’t so much a people-mover as a lounge room that does 4.9sec to 100km/h. It’s massive too, measuring 5355mm long, 1965mm wide and 1850mm tall on a 3300mm wheelbase.

Air suspension and double-wishbone front and multi-link rear ends keep occupants isolated from cruddy roads, with rear-wheel steering makes it easier to park. Continuously variable damping and an 800-volt active anti-tilt system also helps its luxury leanings, while the cabin wraps all seven seats in Nappa leather.

The first two rows get an 18-point hot-stone massage function, heated pillows and power leg rests, and even the third row is heated and ventilated.

Throw in a 29-inch OLED 6K front display, a 33-speaker 5440W stereo and a 10-litre fridge that also heats and freezes, and the segment benchmark – Kia Carnival – starts to look a bit basic.

“We aim to position Li Auto as a premium brand in overseas markets as well, and we will carefully manage our pace, tailoring our approach to our strengths and the unique dynamics of each market,” added Li Auto’s CEO.

Here’s the thing: people-movers are a rounding error in Australia at 10,577 sales for the year to date – a small percentage of the roughly one million new car sales per annum.

People movers are enormous in China but Kia has the local Aussie segment almost entirely to itself.

The Carnival took 1110 of August’s 1433 people-mover sales, or 91.1 per cent of the sub-$70K class, and is up 23.5% for the month and 9% for the year to date at 7970 units.

Behind it, daylight. The Hyundai Staria managed 78 sales in August (736 year to date) and the Volkswagen ID. Buzz 66 (671) – second and third combined don’t crack a seventh of the Carnival’s tally.

Li Auto hasn’t committed to Australia yet, but with Zeekr, Denza and soon Avatr and Hongqi all circling, it’s only a matter of time before someone starts chipping away at Kia’s monopoly.

Another question that bears asking is this: Just how many brands can sustainably exist in the Australian new car market? The powers that be in Beijing have already asked Chinese car makers to stop dumping discounted cars in export markets, which includes Australia.

Will Li Auto be next to launch Down Under? Watch this space.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au