Two of China’s most ambitious 2026 flagship 6-seat family SUVs sit on dealer floors at almost identical $75k pricing: the Lixiang L9 Livis (just launched May 15, 2026 at ¥509,800 / $74,940) and the NIO ES9 (April 2026 launch at ¥528,000 / $77,450). Both ship with fully active suspension, both seat six in 2+2+2 captain-chair configurations, both use 6K-class central displays, and both target the same buyer pool — Chinese first-tier-city families upgrading from BMW X7 / Mercedes GLS / Audi Q7 ownership. But they differ on the fundamental powertrain question: L9 is an EREV (range-extender) with 1.5T generator + 72.7 kWh battery for 420 km EV / 1,650 km combined, while ES9 is a pure BEV with 102 kWh battery for 620 km CLTC. The Russian-language reviewer at Gilevich Sergey’s channel got back-to-back wheel time with both cars in Shenzhen, and his blunt verdict: ES9 wins on highway-speed quietness past 100 km/h, L9 Livis wins on steering precision and price-to-content; both are class-leaders in their respective powertrain camps.
Performance & Specs
The Lixiang L9 Livis uses Li Auto’s third-generation in-house 1.5T turbo 4-cylinder generator (Suzhou-built L3E15CA, ~115 kW / 154 hp) paired with dual electric motors AWD producing a combined 420 kW (563 hp) and 710 Nm of torque. The reviewer’s walkaround confirms the 72.7 kWh CATL ternary NMC battery, 4.9-second 0-100 km/h time, 200 km/h top speed, and 5C DC fast-charging capability with 10-80% in approximately 10 minutes. The NIO ES9 is a pure BEV with dual permanent-magnet synchronous motors producing 520 kW (697 hp), 900V high-voltage architecture, and a 102 kWh CATL NMC battery for 620 km CLTC range. ES9 hits 100 km/h in approximately 4.3 seconds with a 600 kW DC charging peak completing 10-80% in 11-13 minutes. Reviewer notes the L9 Livis steering is meaningfully sharper than the ES9 despite L9 sitting 10 cm taller in overall ride height.
Head-to-Head Spec Comparison
| SPEC | LIXIANG L9 LIVIS | NIO ES9 |
|---|---|---|
| POWERTRAIN | EREV (1.5T + dual motor AWD) | BEV dual-motor AWD |
| SYSTEM POWER | 563 hp (420 kW) | 697 hp (520 kW) |
| SYSTEM TORQUE | 710 Nm | ~700 Nm (NIO estimate) |
| 0-100 KM/H | 4.9 s | ~4.3 s |
| TOP SPEED | 200 km/h | ~200 km/h |
| BATTERY | 72.7 kWh CATL NMC (5C) | 102 kWh CATL NMC |
| EV RANGE | 420 km (CLTC) | 620 km (CLTC) |
| COMBINED RANGE | 1,650 km | 620 km (BEV only) |
| FUEL TANK | 65 L (92-octane) | None |
| FUEL ECONOMY | 6.3 L/100km WLTC | N/A |
| DC FAST CHARGING | 5C peak (~420 kW) | 600 kW |
| DC 10-80% TIME | ~10 min | 11-13 min |
| HV ARCHITECTURE | 800V (Livis) | 900V |
| LIDAR | 4 × (Livis) | 3 × |
| ADAS CHIP | Dual M100 (2,560 TOPS) | Aquila 2.0 + Adam compute |
Dimensions & Practicality
| L9 Livis Length | 5,255 mm |
|---|---|
| L9 Livis Wheelbase | 3,125 mm |
| L9 Livis Cargo | 545 L (seats up) |
| ES9 Length | 5,365 mm |
| ES9 Wheelbase | 3,250 mm |
| ES9 Turning Radius | 10.8 m (rear-wheel steer) |
Both vehicles are full-size 3-row flagship SUVs with 6-seat 2+2+2 captain-chair configurations. The NIO ES9 is 110 mm longer (5,365 mm vs 5,255 mm) and runs a 125 mm longer wheelbase (3,250 vs 3,125), giving it noticeably more 2nd-row legroom and a more limousine-like feel. The reviewer specifically calls out the ES9’s steering wheel telescope range and pedal-to-knee distance as the most generous he’s tested in this segment — even better than the Mercedes GLS. The L9 Livis adds 4-wheel steering on the Livis trim (turning radius 5.3 m) versus ES9’s 10.8 m with NIO’s rear-axle steering — meaningful real-world advantage for the L9 in urban parking scenarios despite the smaller wheelbase difference. Cargo: L9 Livis 545 L behind 3rd row, ES9 not officially published but estimated at 510-540 L based on dimensional similarity.
| SPEC | LIXIANG L9 LIVIS | NIO ES9 |
|---|---|---|
| LENGTH | 5,255 mm | 5,365 mm |
| WIDTH | 2,000 mm | 2,029 mm |
| HEIGHT | 1,810 mm | 1,870 mm |
| WHEELBASE | 3,125 mm | 3,250 mm |
| CURB WEIGHT | ~2,800 kg | ~2,900 kg |
| TURNING RADIUS | 5.3 m | 10.8 m |
| CARGO VOLUME | 545 L (seats up) | ~520 L (estimated) |
| WHEELS | 22″ 285/40 (Livis) | 22″ 275/45 |
| SEATING | 6 (2+2+2) | 6 (2+2+2) |
Real-World Driving Impressions
The reviewer’s direct back-to-back impressions from Shenzhen are worth quoting closely. On the NIO ES9: “Steering wheel telescope range and pedal-to-knee distance are the most generous in this segment. Quieter than my (L9) Ultra past 100 km/h, also quieter than ZEEKR 9X at 80. Ride is firmer than L9 Ultra and Huawei M9 but the handling is the best of all of them — despite sitting 10 cm taller than ES9. New active suspension makes some noise when all four wheels hit imperfections simultaneously — they clearly haven’t fully silenced the system yet.” On the Lixiang L9 Livis: “22-inch 285/40 wheels (a Lixiang first), steering noticeably better than L9 Ultra, much flatter through corners with less body roll, by-wire steering ‘an absolute drug.’ Active suspension is not about being a couch-on-wheels — it’s about being flatter, less wallow, less squat, ultimately better handling. Ride quality similar to ES9 at low speed; firmer than L9 Ultra in sport mode.” The verdict: if your priority is maximum ride comfort, get the L9 Ultra (cheaper, regular suspension); if you want best handling at L9 dimensions, get L9 Livis; if you want maximum highway-speed quietness with the BEV refinement advantage, get NIO ES9.
Available Versions
| VERSION | POWER | BATTERY | EV RANGE | KEY DIFFERENCES | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Luxury Edition | 697 hp (dual) | 102 kWh | 620 km | Base trim with options for six-seat centre island or aisle layouts. Can be purchased with or without NIO's Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS). | 528,000 yuan (~$77,200) |
| Executive Signature Edition | 697 hp (dual) | 102 kWh | 620 km | Includes SkyRide active suspension system. Can be purchased with or without NIO's Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS). | 588,000 yuan (~$86,000) |
| Horizon Special Edition | 697 hp (dual) | 102 kWh | 620 km | Top-of-the-line trim offered exclusively with the six-seat centre island layout. Can be purchased with or without NIO's Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS). | 658,000 yuan (~$96,200) |
Pricing & Trim Strategy
The Lixiang L9 launches in two 2026 trims: the regular L9 Ultra at ¥459,800 ($67,600) with conventional suspension, and the L9 Livis at ¥509,800 ($74,940) with the full by-wire chassis package. NIO ES9 starts at ¥528,000 ($77,450) for the entry trim and rises to approximately ¥612,000 ($89,800) for the top configuration with full ADAS package. BaaS battery subscription on the ES9 reduces the upfront purchase price by approximately $15,000, bringing the ES9 entry into ¥453,000 ($66,500) territory — making it cheaper than the L9 Livis when you account for the subscription model. The reviewer notes that the L9 Livis is “noticeably cheaper than ES9” in direct outright purchase comparison; ES9’s BaaS option is the wildcard that can flip this depending on the buyer’s ownership model preference.
| TRIM | PRICE (USD) | KEY DIFFERENCES |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 L9 Ultra | $67,600 | Single M100 chip, regular suspension, 22″ 275/45 wheels |
| 2026 L9 Livis | $74,940 | Dual M100 chips (2,560 TOPS), 800V active suspension + steer-by-wire + 4WS, 22″ 285/40 wheels |
| 2026 NIO ES9 entry | $77,450 ($66,500 with BaaS) | 900V, triple LiDAR, SkyRide active suspension |
| 2026 NIO ES9 top | ~$89,800 | Full ADAS package, premium interior trim |
Design & Interior
The L9 Livis exterior carries over the L9’s signature look refreshed: full-width LED light bar across the front with orange ambient accent, slim matrix headlamps, body-color closed grille, and the 22-inch wheels are the first time Lixiang has fitted a wheel that large to any production vehicle. The reviewer’s showroom unit is finished in champagne / olive brown with a black contrast roof. Inside, the cabin features a 29-inch 6K panoramic ultra-wide display as the single dashboard element — no separate driver instrument cluster, with information projected to a HUD instead. Material treatment uses 33-speaker premium audio (massive upgrade from the original L9’s 22-speaker), zero-gravity captain chairs front and 2nd row, real wood inserts in the dashboard, leather-wrapped door cards, and what the reviewer specifies is “nicer fabric than usual” on the headliner (not Alcantara, but premium woven fabric). Notable cabin negatives: C-pillar trim is plastic (not leather), 3rd row uses bare plastic in places — the reviewer calls this “soft luxury, not hard luxury,” appropriate for the $75k price point but a step below the ZEEKR 9X / Huawei M9 / NIO ES9 ultra-luxury benchmarks.
Safety & ADAS Comparison
The Lixiang L9 Livis ADAS stack is the most advanced Li Auto has ever shipped: 4 LiDARs (1 roof + 3 perimeter) replacing the standard 3-LiDAR layout, dual in-house 5 nm Mach 100 chips delivering combined 2,560 TOPS of compute (Li Auto claims this is 3x more compute than Nvidia Thor-U), UWB sensors replacing the traditional ultrasonic sensors, and Highway + Urban NOA across all road types. The NIO ES9 uses triple LiDAR with NIO’s in-house Adam compute platform supporting the ADAM 2.0 perception system. Both vehicles support fully autonomous valet parking with route memory, both have AEB up to 130 km/h with vehicle/pedestrian/cyclist detection, and both have 360-degree surround camera with transparent chassis view for off-road. The reviewer specifically notes that on Highway NOA at 100+ km/h the Lixiang AD Max system “lets you relax completely” — consistent with the ES9 experience but with the additional L9 advantage of the extra dual-chip compute headroom for future OTA upgrades.
How It Compares
The L9 Livis and ES9 occupy the same Chinese premium 6-seat flagship SUV tier but with fundamentally different powertrain philosophies. The Huawei AITO M9 EREV is the closest spiritual competitor to the L9 Livis — same 6-seat layout, same EREV architecture, similar pricing — but uses Huawei ADS 4.0 instead of Li Auto’s in-house AD Max stack. The ZEEKR 9X sits roughly $12,000 higher and offers Mobileye SuperVision Pro with active stabilizer hardware that competes with the L9 Livis’ by-wire chassis. For Chinese first-tier-city buyers with budget flexibility, the actual decision typically narrows to: EREV (L9 Livis or AITO M9) vs BEV (NIO ES9 with BaaS or ZEEKR 9X with regular battery) based on charging-infrastructure preference and road-trip frequency.
- $2,500 cheaper outright purchase ($74,940 vs $77,450)
- 1,650 km combined range vs 620 km pure EV — better road-trip flexibility
- 4-LiDAR + dual M100 chip (2,560 TOPS) — more ADAS compute headroom
- By-wire chassis (steer-by-wire + 4WS + 800V active suspension + EMB) — world’s first production
- 22″ 285/40 wheels (Lixiang first), 29″ 6K panoramic display, 33-speaker audio
- 5.3 m turning radius via 4-wheel steering — tighter than ES9’s 10.8 m
- 134 hp less peak power (563 vs 697 hp) and 0.6 s slower 0-100 (4.9 s vs 4.3 s)
- 620 km BEV-only range on ES9 covers more daily-EV driving without burning fuel
- ES9 with BaaS subscription is $66,500 effective — cheaper than L9 Livis outright
- L9 Livis cabin material grading is “soft luxury” vs ES9’s “hard luxury” (real Alcantara, etc.)
- ES9 has 110 mm more length + 125 mm more wheelbase — noticeably more 2nd-row legroom
- ES9 SkyRide active suspension is quieter past 100 km/h per reviewer’s back-to-back test
The 2026 Lixiang L9 Livis and NIO ES9 are simultaneously each other’s direct competitor and complementary halves of the same premium Chinese 6-seat flagship segment. Choosing between them comes down to four questions: (1) Do you prefer EREV’s no-range-anxiety road-trip flexibility (L9) or pure BEV’s simpler ownership model (ES9)? (2) Do you outright-buy or subscribe to BaaS battery service (ES9 has this option, L9 doesn’t)? (3) Do you prioritize cabin acoustic refinement at highway speed (ES9) or ADAS compute headroom + by-wire chassis innovation (L9 Livis)? (4) Do you need maximum 2nd-row legroom in a chauffeured-rear configuration (ES9) or sharper handling for the driver (L9 Livis)? Neither vehicle is meaningfully better — they’re simply different philosophies. For our money, the L9 Livis edges out as the slightly better value at $74,940 outright with the dual-M100 chip headroom and by-wire chassis as the technical differentiation that matters most in 2026; ES9 with BaaS at $66,500 effective is the better pure-BEV pick if you prefer subscription ownership.
