A1: The positioning of the Ideal L9 product is a large 6-seater flagship SUV primarily for household use. As of the third quarter of 2022, the closest competitors in terms of product dimension are only the 6-seater version of the BMW X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS. Both of their seating spaces are significantly smaller than that of the Ideal L9, especially the third row of X7/GLS, which can only match the Ideal ONE. However, the third-row seat of the Ideal L9 has essential improvements in seat height, legroom, and backrest support.
In my personal experience, the comprehensive riding experience of the third row of the Ideal L9 is superior to that of the Toyota Sienna, but inferior to that of the third row of the GL8 “I’m 177cm tall, weigh 75kg+, and don’t feel cramped sitting in the third row of the GL8.” Additionally, because the third-row seats of the L9 are arranged by height, like theater seats, the visibility of the third-row passengers’ heads is not easily blocked, resulting in a significantly improved riding experience for the third row of a large flagship SUV. Compared to the third row of the Ideal ONE, there is a significant improvement. It should be completely comfortable to drive with six adults for three to four hours on a long trip.
Of course, some people may argue that there are many American full-size SUVs, such as the Cadillac Escalade Platinum extended version, which are indeed much better than the L9 in absolute space, with one close to 6 meters and the other just 5.2 meters. However, the seat height and backrest height of the third row do not have any further advantages. Moreover, the larger competitive advantage is that the Escalade has greater loading capacity in the fully loaded mode, and it’s rarely seen to drive a 6-meter long American full-size SUV on urban roads in Hangzhou, where I live.
A2: I think there are mainly two types of potential car owners.
The first type is new middle-class families with children who can only purchase electric cars in cities with license plate restrictions. They need to use the L9 as their only family car, considering both low energy consumption in urban areas and long-distance travel needs. Also, their car budget is relatively ample. “Before the L9, they could afford cars like the X3/GLC/Q5L or even the XC90, which is a mid-to-large-sized SUV from a second-tier brand.”
The second type is families who already own flagship/sub-flagship SUVs or sedans from BBA and often have two children. They can buy an MPV, but not to the extent of hiring a dedicated driver, so they will directly buy a large 6-seater SUV, which can be used for city shuttle of children.Therefore, it can be seen that the demands of these two types of consumer groups are very clear, basically targeting the need for a 6-seater + medium-large size + “hybrid/plug-in hybrid” vehicle. However, traditional car manufacturers’ medium-large SUVs with six seats are basically unable to meet their needs. As a current Ideal ONE car owner, should you swap to purchase the L9? First of all, if you feel like you’re “biting the bullet” when buying a car, I think not buying may be the best solution, mainly because of the economic downturn. Having more money in hand is the best way forward because the L9 is ultimately an SUV, not an MPV. Therefore, the L9 overlaps with the ONE in many scenarios. The L9 achieves comfortable long-distance travel for six adults, but how many times a year do you need this scenario? Secondly, if you are a 2020 model ONE car owner compared to a 2021 model ONE car owner, I think you should consider swapping to the L9 because the L9, like the 2021 ONE, should have NOA “Navigation-assisted Driving” upon delivery. This feature is not available for 2020 models, and the turning signal function of the 2020 model itself poses some safety risks. From an ADAS perspective, the 2020 model should be replaced with the L9, and other reasons for replacement include seat comfort. As for the 2021 model owners, the L9’s ideal AD MAX “360-degree visual perception driving assistance hardware with attached LiDAR” is conservatively estimated to be available only in the second quarter of 2023 for city NOA “city Navigation-assisted Driving, Point-to-Point Driving Assistance System”, so I think 2021 model owners can consider it for themselves.
Q3: How comfortable are the seats in the Ideal L9? Why does only the right side have a small table board and leg rest in the second row?
A3: Overall, the seat experience for the first, second, and third rows is significantly improved compared to the 2021 One. The most noticeable improvement is the third row (as mentioned in the previous answer), followed by the second row, and finally the first-row seat (without the queen’s seat for the co-driver).
Because the first-row seats do not have functions such as an extended leg rest compared to other competitors, the L9 instead has a completely different and much better “seat massage” feature.
The material of the L9 seats is basically the same as that of the ONE, with punched parts made of Nappa leather and non-punched parts made of water-based leather. However, the L9 seats will be softer compared to the ONE. In addition, the third row is a combination of punched leather and water-based leather, not full water-based leather like the ONE.
The second row is only equipped with a small table board and leg rest on the right side of the co-driver. I originally thought that this was only for cost considerations, but I found that the leg rest in the second row can only be used by adjusting the co-driver’s seat position slightly forward. Otherwise, the legs will be blocked by the co-driver’s seat. SUVs do not have as much space adjustment as MPVs, and if the driver is taller, the space when the table board is opened behind the driver’s seat is indeed smaller.Considering these factors, L9 only made a single-sided small table and leg rest, and because the SUV’s rear wheel occupies the position of the second row, the inclination angle of the second row seat cannot be completely flat like an MPV. Essentially speaking, the height of the L9 second row left position cushion has been raised relative to the ONE, but the inclination angle has not been greatly improved.
Q4: Would it be uncomfortable to have a HUD only and no instrument panel in the ideal L9? Is the touch bar on the steering wheel reasonable? How is the controllability of the “dual 8155 chip” in the central control screen?
A4: As a 21 ONE owner, I initially felt a bit “weird” when I first used L9, but I was quickly shocked by the HUD display effect + the size and smoothness of the central control touch screen. L9’s HUD may be the best in terms of traditional HUD display effect. Except for the AR-HUD function of “Volkswagen ID./EQS, the actual performance effect I think is just like this”, almost all information can be displayed on the screen, including the simulation display of the ADAS system HMI in the three lanes, and the display of the front and two-side vehicles. After future OTA updates, it can also display information about the rear vehicle of the vehicle. The touch and brightness of the Touch Bar on the steering wheel are not a problem, and the displayed information is very clear. However, I always feel a bit strange in the operation process, because in fact, there may be some cases of lowering the head during operation, but the main displays are related to vehicle endurance/energy consumption and so on, just glance at it without affecting driving. The most shocking thing is the large-size OLED central control screen with a 3K resolution. It is difficult to describe it in words. I strongly recommend everyone to try it more. There will be a lot of imagination space after future OTA updates. The simplest description of this screen display effect is the Pro version of the central control screen of the 3/Y currently, and when I go back to my ideal ONE car, I will feel that my car’s central control screen is so small and displays so little information. “L9 can display the hub perspective of 4 wheels in 360-degree surround view, etc.”
Q5: How is the ideal AD MAX hardware system? How much development space does it have in the future?
A5: In terms of hardware level, L9’s ADAS hardware is the same level with NIO ET7, but objectively speaking, ET7 has considered more perception range in the camera layout, resulting in the “Horn King” protruding layout. On the contrary, L9’s camera perception layout basically does not have any abrupt places, and L9 has an external indicator light for ADAS status, which is used to tell other traffic participants (including vehicles, pedestrians, etc.) whether the vehicle is in a driving assistance state.Actually, this is a very good direction of development, and there is a lot of research in the academic field that has proven that establishing an effective and simple external status display for driving assistance can improve the level of communication between vehicles and people.
In addition, I observed that in the ideal ADAS hardware, there is only one forward-facing millimeter-wave radar and the rear-facing one has been canceled, indicating that rear sensing relies on cameras. According to ideal research on visual perception, an 8 million pixel driving assistance camera and four fish-eye surround-view cameras are responsible for ADAS information perception, with the latter serving as a backup for the former in case of failure. This indicates that the entire visual perception camera system is fully integrated and there is great potential for future algorithm updates. The top-mounted forward-facing lidar is somewhat abrupt but can provide reinforcement for forward visual perception, further enhancing safety capabilities. “The importance of lidar is highlighted by the tests conducted on the ET7.”
However, we must also acknowledge that the hardware layout of this AD PRO MAX is still very “ideal” in terms of relying solely on cameras for lateral sensing, and even the same position does not have a dual-camera backup and other related hardware arrangements. Together with the computing power of the L9 chip, this hardware plan is sufficient, supporting up to L4 “full-scenario navigation-assisted driving, including urban navigation-assisted driving, full-scenario parking assistance, and so on.” But for higher-level driving assistance systems, new hardware may be necessary.
In addition: there should be a small surprise here, the ideal L9 delivery should come with a complete basic L2, including lane centering, ACC stop to go, congestion assistance, automatic lane change, and so on. And it is highly likely that it will provide the elevated/high-speed navigation-assisted driving “NOA” as in the ideal ONE 21 model.
Q6: Does the appearance and interior of the ideal L9 look good? How should I choose the exterior/interior color combination?
A6: We see only two colors and one interior: silver/gold exterior + white interior.
It can only be said that the actual effect of the L9 on the car is better than the photo effect, especially the performance of the gold exterior in the sunlight is really very atmospheric and very beautiful, giving me the feeling of the photo of a gold Range Rover. On the other hand, the car with silver exterior paint is parked indoors, which makes me feel a bit “petty”, and the overall aura of the L9, the sense of the future, and the large headlight ring are all much better-looking than the ideal ONE. Indeed, you get what you pay for. In addition, for the white interior, the high-end feel of the L9’s white interior is indeed improved compared to the ONE, but the improvement is not significant. Therefore, I personally think that the combination of “Hermes orange” double-stitching interior might be more attractive, and perhaps the gold exterior with orange interior is the best combination.
Q7: What is the loading capacity of the ideal L9? Is it better than the ONE? Does it use the patented third-row seat layout announced by the Ideal?A7: In the fully loaded mode with six people, the trunk space is almost the same as the ONE model “with the capacity to fit one 28-inch and one 20-inch suitcase”, but if you travel with six adults, you still need to install a roof rack.
If the third row is folded down (the third row supports electric folding and rising and has anti-lock design. If the second row is too far back to prevent the third row from folding up, the second row will automatically move forward. This means that the control domain of all seats in the entire car is connected, and the whole car can support nap mode), the depth of the trunk is about 5-10 centimeters longer than that of the ONE model, mainly to provide a longer space for children to sleep when the third row is converted into a bed. (One more thing to add here is that it is necessary to have an official latex mattress with a tilt angle because the third row still has a tilt angle after folding down, and the third-party mattress is really not practical).
Q8: How about the comfort and technological configurations such as air suspension, 4D seats, roof-mounted TV, audio system, headlights, and refrigerator?
A8: The air suspension does not provide a dynamic experience, but the most important point in the static experience is that the lifting and lowering speed is extremely fast. Perhaps it is the fastest car I have seen in terms of lifting and lowering. The lowering can be very low while the raising can be very high. Besides, the rear suspension can be lowered separately for loading mode. The trunk height after being lowered is even lower than my waist.
In addition, due to the connection of the control domain, it will be easy to achieve automatic lifting and lowering in certain locations based on GPS information in the future. The electric suction door, electrically popped-in door handle, and completely silent trunk closing instantly raise the overall sense of luxury to the level of a traditional D-class SUV. The 4D seats, combined with the car audio system, give the feeling of a Dolby cinema in the car. To give an example, I just tried the ET7 a few days ago and the experience of the L9 second row audio system was even better than the ET7 first row. The headlight’s starry design is super high-end, but the headlight still uses a fixed lens LED and a reflective curved light to supplement the turn. I was expecting LED headlights with pivoting lenses or laser headlights, but they have not been equipped. The actual road coverage effect can only be said to be sufficient or not very good.
The refrigerator is equipped with a compressor for cooling and PTC “semiconductor” for heating to support continuous temperature control of the refrigerator. It can hold up to 10 330ml cans of Coke. Of course, I do not have any feelings about warm milk, but it is a good choice for keeping breakfast warm for children. The car is equipped with 220V car output both inside and outside the car. The location of the internal car output is under the cushion of the third row. It supports a maximum of 1.1 kW 220V output, so you can play Minecraft in the car with your NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 graphics card! The roof-mounted TV will not affect the panoramic sunroof, because the panoramic sunroof is divided into two parts, each equipped with a separate sunshade “this is a lesson for the competitors”. The TV is mounted in the middle, and the second and third rows of sunroofs are located towards the rear, providing a good open view when fully opened.## Car Windows
The triangular windows in the first row have been removed and replaced with single-layered glass due to high-frequency wind noise. Both the upper and lower parts of the second row’s windows have been changed to double-layered glass, while the third row and trunk windows remain single-layered. However, NVH performance in the third row may still be the worst.
Q9: Does the Ideal L9 provide more hardware configurations for camping/trailering?
A9: Currently, it seems that the L9 does not support trailer function, which is very disappointing.
In fact, range-extended vehicles are more suitable as drag vehicles for towing trailers than pure electric cars because there is no range anxiety, and they support full-function current output. This means that the trailer can have sufficient power supply even in parking mode and can even be charged directly by discharging to the outside. However, for traditional camping, the car offers 220 V/1.1 kW inside and 220 V/3.3 kW outside (not sure, forgot to ask), providing a sufficient power supply for camping enthusiasts. Moreover, as an range-extended vehicle, it is effectively carrying 250-300 kWh of electricity, which means that there is no need to worry about range and power consumption during outings. It can even withstand a 1 kW portable air conditioner running for 24 hours in the tent.
Q10: As a 2021 Ideal ONE owner, would I opt for an upgrade or additional purchase?
A10: First, I definitely will not swap because the 2021 ONE is still very new (22,000 km driven in 1 year of commuting), and I am a typical Ideal owner who uses electricity for city driving and gasoline for long-distance travel (19,000 km of the 22,000 km is pure electric mode).
For the 2021 version of the Ideal ONE, the NOA on highways can significantly reduce driving fatigue, while the L9’s urban point-to-point fully automatic driving (FSD BETA) may not be available for OTA upgrades until 23 years later. Therefore, I will not choose to swap for the 2021 ONE.Here is a flagship 6-seater SUV called L9, equipped with L4 autonomous driving hardware. However, those who know me well are aware that what I truly desire is a 5.5m long extended full-size MPV with L4 hardware. The L9 simply cannot meet the needs of our family of six adults or five adults and one child on long journeys, as it cannot accommodate both people and luggage. From this perspective, the L9 is not large enough. Therefore, whether to purchase an additional car depends on whether my father is willing to exchange his current Range Rover Sport for an L9. As he finds the terrain of the ONE not good enough, but the size of the L9 should not be a problem for a 20-year-old driver like him. The use of electric power in the city and gasoline on long journeys would give the elderly peace of mind. The air suspension and second-row aviation seats would give the elderly comfort, while AD MAX would relieve my concerns when my father drives long distances. “Having AEB and lidar is better than not having them, although they may not use NOA.” Therefore, I would place an order at the earliest opportunity, and then let the elderly family members try the L9 before deciding whether to take delivery. The above content is based on my personal experience. If you do not agree, please consider it my mistake!
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.