Li Auto CEO Li Xiang took to social media to tease an upcoming OTA update for the company’s range of extended-range electric vehicles. Version 4.5, set to roll out sometime this month, will boost revealing that the latest update will bring a 20% lower battery life mode temperature and an impressive 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 6 seconds, 5.3 seconds with high battery life power.
According to Li, the new software will minimize the performance gap between a depleted battery and a fully topped up one. The key, he explained, lies in parallel connection that channels power from both the battery and the range extender. This allows more of the range extender’s power to be applied to the wheels instead of just recharging the battery.
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The key technical principle behind the improved performance is that the battery power and range extender power are connected in parallel. Even when the battery is low, the acceleration performance of 80-120 km/h is greatly improved, and the performance at low battery level can be close to that of a PHEV engine parallel connection.
The speed improvements will be most noticeable in Li Auto’s three L-series models, the L7, L8 and L9 Series, especially the L8. Li says further refinements to the control algorithms by year’s end will unlock additional gains in acceleration and energy efficiency, promising “very good” performance even in winter. If delivered, the boosts could make extended-range EVs a compelling replacement for gas-only vehicles, with enough performance and environmental adaptability to assuage even the most range-anxious drivers.
Li Auto’s L7 and L8 claimed the top two spots in China’s mid- to large-size SUV sales rankings for April. As the world’s largest EV market, China is a key barometer of how new energy vehicles are faring in the global transition to electrification. Strong sales of models like the L7 and L8 suggest that for some Chinese consumers at least, “extended-range” just got a whole lot more appealing.