Li Xiang delivers on his promise to pure-electric users—Tesla has now been surpassed in the number of supercharging stations.

As its first all-electric SUV is set to debut, Li Auto has once again strengthened the competitive moat of its all-electric strategy. On June 19, Li Xiang, founder of Li Auto, announced via Weibo that the company has already established 2,500 Li Auto 5C supercharging stations, fulfilling a promise he previously made. Currently, among Li Auto’s models available for sale, only the MEGA—a pure-electric MPV—runs on battery power, while the Ideal L9, L8, L7, and L6 are all range-extended electric vehicles. Yet despite starting with a range-extender technology route that helped it capture the market, Li Auto is now leading—and even surpassing—Tesla in the rapid expansion of its ultra-fast charging infrastructure. Behind this remarkable achievement lies Li Auto’s unwavering determination and ambitious vision as it doubles down on the all-electric segment.
Li Xiang, one of the first Tesla Model S owners in China (configuration | inquiry), has always regarded Tesla as a benchmark for learning. On Weibo, he shared, "Eleven years ago, I received the keys to the Model S P85 directly from Elon Musk, becoming one of the first Tesla owners in China. Tesla has consistently served as our role model in the field of smart electric vehicles—demonstrating not only cutting-edge electric technology and advanced intelligence capabilities but also their unwavering commitment to building a robust global charging infrastructure, effectively addressing users' concerns about charging convenience." Back then, Li Xiang made a promise: By the time the Ideal i8 was launched, he would have already established more than 2,500 self-operated supercharging stations nationwide, equipped with over 15,000 supercharging piles, ensuring that even pure-electric vehicle users could bid farewell to range anxiety. Clearly, Tesla's forward-thinking "vehicle-pile synergy" approach in building its energy ecosystem has provided Li Xiang with invaluable insights as he strives to create Ideal Motors' own energy infrastructure.

Li Xiang once mentioned that having self-operated supercharging stations is a prerequisite for selling mid-to-high-end all-electric SUVs, and he even announced an investment of 6 billion yuan to build "Ideal's Direct 5C Supercharging Stations." Back in April this year, Tesla's Global Vice President Tao Lin stated that Tesla has already established over 2,000 supercharging stations across China, achieving 100% coverage of all provinces and municipalities directly under the central government. Notably, more than 450 of these stations are already open to owners of other brands. Today, however, Ideal Motors has already surpassed Tesla in terms of the number of supercharging stations—reaching 2,500 locations nationwide. By delivering on his promise and even outpacing Tesla, Li Xiang has not only demonstrated his commitment to scaling up infrastructure in the short term but also sent a clear message to the market: "We’re firmly committed to advancing both range-extending and pure-electric models simultaneously."
Since the launch of its ultra-fast charging station construction plan, Li Auto has swiftly completed the build-out of 2,500 supercharging stations equipped with 13,701 ultra-fast charging piles over the past two years and two months, covering 31 provinces and 241 cities. By the end of this year, Li Auto expects its network to expand further to 4,000 supercharging stations, significantly enhancing the coverage of its charging infrastructure and bringing convenient charging services to even more users. Notably, Li Auto’s 2,500th supercharging station was recently established at the Shanghai Disney Resort—a groundbreaking facility as it marks the brand’s first full-fledged 5C ultra-fast charging station, featuring three sets of dual-gun 5C chargers. “This is by no means the end—we’ll continue building more exceptional Li Auto supercharging stations, both on highways and in urban areas, to ensure our customers never have to worry about range anxiety,” emphasized Li Xiang. Meanwhile, Li Auto’s supercharging network is rapidly expanding at a pace of four new stations added daily, thanks to the company’s unwavering commitment to creating a seamless, zero-anxiety driving experience for all pure-electric vehicle owners.
Notably, behind the 2,500 supercharging stations, Li Auto is also embarking on refined operations of its charging facilities while actively expanding its collaborative ecosystem for energy replenishment. According to Gasgoo Automotive, to enhance users' charging experience, Li Auto has assigned its three-electric platform and charging platform—and other related products—to a single, dedicated team. By operating multiple platforms from the user’s perspective, this cross-functional team has gained a more independent and distinct viewpoint. Fast charging, extensive coverage, and an exceptional user experience are the three essential elements that Li Auto prioritizes in developing its energy-replenishment solutions.

"Users truly desire longer-lasting supercharging performance, from low to high State of Charge (SOC). Facing industry challenges like limited charging power at the end of the charging process, Li Auto has been continuously optimizing its technology—ensuring that even when users charge their vehicles up to 90% or higher SOC, they can still enjoy consistently high charging power." Tang Huayin, head of Li Auto’s all-electric vehicle product line, emphasized that while users care about "fast charging," what really matters isn’t just the charging power or time—it’s how many kilometers of range can be added per unit of time. To truly understand user needs, Li Auto evaluates an electric vehicle’s charging speed by considering both the amount of energy delivered within a given timeframe and the vehicle’s overall energy consumption. According to Li Xiang, the Li Auto i8, set to launch in July, and the Li Auto i6, scheduled for September, will both support Li Auto’s cutting-edge 5C ultra-fast charging stations. Equipped with a 5C battery paired with a 5C charging infrastructure across the entire lineup, these models promise lightning-fast charging: a remarkable 500 kilometers of range can be achieved in just 10 minutes. This exceptional performance is poised to become one of the key reasons why consumers choose Li Auto vehicles. It’s clear that Li Auto’s leap forward in ultra-fast charging may appear as a technological race on the surface—but at its core, it’s a battle for customers’ minds and a contest over industry standards.
Now, the countdown has begun for the launch of Li Auto's first all-electric SUV, and the achievement of 2,500 supercharging stations has only heightened its growing popularity. At the upcoming launch event, Li Auto is sure to unveil more cutting-edge core technologies to captivate consumers. For now, it’s clear that users already have a compelling reason to choose Li Auto’s all-electric SUV.

Translated from Sina Auto

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