On February 13, 2025, Li Auto announced that its self-developed silicon carbide power chips have been installed, and the self-developed and self-produced silicon carbide power module and a new generation of electric drive assembly have also been mass-produced at the Suzhou semiconductor production base and Changzhou electric drive production base, respectively, and these three core technologies will be installed in the ideal pure electric models one after another. This series of actions quickly attracted wide attention from the industry, and also marked a solid step forward in the core technology field of Li Auto, and the launch of its pure electric SUV was highly anticipated.
Self-developed silicon carbide power chips: the core strength of technological breakthroughs
As a key component of the electric drive system of new energy vehicles, silicon carbide power chips have significant advantages such as high withstand voltage, low loss and high efficiency. The completion of the installation of Li Auto's self-developed silicon carbide power chip is a major breakthrough in its core technology field. According to the official introduction of Li Auto, pure electric models equipped with self-developed silicon carbide power chips will have a more compact design, more efficient energy consumption performance and stronger power output, so as to bring users a quieter driving experience. This technical advantage will make Li Auto stand out in the pure electric market.
Tang Huayin, head of vehicle electric products of Li Auto, said: "The electric drive has been prepared for this year's ideal pure electric vehicle, and the whole link from the chip to the vehicle has been vertically opened. "This shows that Li Auto has been fully prepared in terms of technical layout, and the vertical integration from chips to vehicles will make it occupy a favorable position in the market competition. At the same time, Zhang Xiao, the person in charge of the product line of Ideal Automobile, also mentioned that the SiC chip factory is in Suzhou, and the self-developed motor factory is in the Ideal Parts Industrial Park near the Changzhou factory. This layout of the whole industry chain will effectively reduce production costs, improve production efficiency, and ensure product quality and supply stability.
Figure: Li Auto announced the completion of the installation of its self-developed silicon carbide power chips
Pure electric SUV series: an important chess piece in the market layout
Li Auto's pure electric SUV series is an important chess piece in its market layout. According to the news, the series is expected to be named M series or i series, and specific models may include M7, M8, M9, i7, i8, i9, etc. Previously, spy photos of three ideal pure electric SUVs have been exposed on the Internet, which has aroused strong expectations from consumers. Li Xiang, founder and CEO of Li Auto, revealed that the company plans to release a new pure electric SUV model in the first half of 2025 to meet the needs of more family users.
Li Auto currently mainly promotes a number of extended-range SUV models, named L series, including L6/7/8/9, etc., as well as a MEGA pure electric MPV model. By 2025, Li Auto will launch five range-extender models, one MEGA model and five pure electric models. This rich product matrix will meet the needs of different consumers and further enhance the competitiveness of Li Auto in the new energy vehicle market.
Industry influence: leading the development of new energy vehicle technology
The completion of the installation of Li Auto's self-developed silicon carbide power chip is not only of great significance to its own development, but also has a positive impact on the entire new energy vehicle industry. First of all, in terms of technology leadership, this technological breakthrough of Li Auto has set a new benchmark for the industry. Other car companies may accelerate the R&D and application of silicon carbide power chips to promote the technological progress of the entire industry. Secondly, in terms of market competition, the launch of Li Auto's pure electric models will further intensify the competition in the pure electric SUV market. Other car companies need to accelerate product layout and technology upgrades to meet the challenges of Li Auto. Finally, in terms of supply chain integration, Li Auto has achieved vertical integration of the supply chain through self-developed and self-produced silicon carbide power chips and power modules. This model may be used as a reference by other car companies to promote the optimization and upgrading of the entire industry supply chain.
Future prospects: the sustainable development of Li Auto
Li Auto's layout in self-developed silicon carbide power chips and pure electric models has laid a solid foundation for its future development. With the successive launch of pure electric models, Li Auto is expected to make greater breakthroughs in the pure electric market. In terms of technological innovation, Li Auto will continue to increase R&D investment in core technology fields to promote technological innovation. In the future, Li Auto may make more breakthroughs in the fields of autonomous driving and intelligent cockpit to further enhance the competitiveness of its products. In terms of market expansion, Li Auto will expand its market coverage by enriching its product matrix. In addition to the pure electric SUV series, Li Auto also plans to launch more range extender models and super flagship models to meet the needs of different consumers. In terms of brand building, Li Auto will strengthen brand building by improving product quality and service levels. In the future, Li Auto is expected to establish a higher brand image and enhance its brand influence in the domestic and foreign markets.
In short, the completion of the installation of Li Auto's self-developed silicon carbide power chip is an important breakthrough in its core technology field, and it is also a strong support for its pure electric SUV. This technological advantage will make Li Auto more competitive in the new energy vehicle market, and will also promote the development of technology in the entire industry. We have reason to believe that Li Auto will make greater achievements in the future development and provide consumers with better products and services.
