- Li Auto's in-house developed SiC power modules and next-generation electric drive assemblies have begun to roll off the production line for use in new BEV models.
- These in-house developed products are expected to deliver more efficient energy performance, and stronger power output.
Li Auto (NASDAQ: LI) has begun mass production of modules equipped with its own silicon-carbide (SiC) power chip in preparation for more battery electric vehicle (BEV) models it will roll out later this year.
The company's in-house SiC power chip has already begun installations, it announced today on Weibo.
Li Auto's in-house developed and self-produced SiC power modules and next-generation electric drive assemblies have been mass-produced at the company's Suzhou semiconductor production base and Changzhou electric drive production base, respectively, it said.
These three core technologies will be fitted to Li Auto's new BEV models to deliver a quieter ride with a more compact design, the company said.
They are also expected to lead to more efficient energy performance, and stronger power output, it said.
Li Auto will next produce new BEV models at its plant in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, and it's ready for mass production this year, the company's product line head, Zhang Xiao, said on Weibo today.
The company began construction of its SiC chip R&D and production site in August 2022, and said at the time that the site was expected to go into production in 2024.
The production base was built by Suzhou Sike Semiconductor, a joint venture between Li Auto and Hunan Sanan Semiconductor, a leading domestic semiconductor company.
"The development and production of third-generation semiconductor SiC automotive power modules in-house will help establish Li Auto's technology and product leadership while effectively ensuring mass production availability," said Shen Yannan in August 2022 who at the time was a Li Auto co-founder and president. Shen left the company in December 2022.
Li Auto is currently delivering five models -- Li L6, Li L7, Li L8, Li L9, and Li Mega -- with the L-series being an extended-range SUV (sport utility vehicle), and the Mega being an all-electric MPV ( multi-purpose vehicle) model.
The company originally planned to release three all-electric SUVs in the second half of 2024. But plans for more all-electric models was pushed back to the first half of 2025, the company said in an earnings call last May.
The right time to bring Li Auto's all-electric products to market would be when its own superchargers reach a level similar to Tesla's (NASDAQ: TSLA) superchargers in China, the company said at the time.
As of today, Li Auto has 1,853 supercharging stations in China, according to data compiled by CnEVPost.
Tesla currently has more than 2,000 supercharging stations in China, offering more than 11,000 superchargers, according to data it mentioned earlier this month.
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