For those in pursuit of spacious interiors, MPV models have always been the go-to choice. Especially in the premium market for business travelling, MPVs hold a substantial share. Geely’s LEVC Ei5, belonging to a centuries-old British brand that was an early provider of high-end mobility, has a unique understanding of spatial and mobility needs. Coupled with Geely’s current edge in intelligent and electric technology empowerment, they pushed the “big guy”, Ei5 L380, into the market on June 25th.
The Ei5 L380 is a luxurious all-electric MPV crafted under LEVC based on the world’s first Space-oriented Architecture (SOA), categorized as a mid-to-large MPV with dimensions of 5,316 x 1,998 x 1,940 mm. The official guide price ranges from 379,900 to 479,900 yuan, while the current limited-time price ranges from 349,900 to 449,900 yuan. There are four configurations on offer:
100 degrees 6 seater Air edition for 349,900 yuan (guide price 379,900 yuan);
116 degrees 6 seater Pro edition for 409,900 yuan (guide price 439,900 yuan);
140 degrees 8 seater 4WD Max edition for 439,900 yuan (guide price 479,900 yuan);
140 degrees 6 seater 4WD Ultra edition for 449,900 yuan (guide price 479,900 yuan).
Before July 31st, the first 3,000 customers who purchase are eligible for benefits including an 11-year-old Huanghua pear tree, a 40,000 yuan cash benefit gift, a 10,000 yuan car delivery gift, a 20,000 yuan service gift, and a 10,000 yuan ‘Triple Zero’ financial gift. The 40,000 yuan cash benefit includes a new purchase subsidy of 20,000 yuan, a purchase tax subsidy of 10,000 yuan, and for 8 seater models, an extra road tax subsidy of 10,000 yuan – this is the sincerity of the LEVC Ei5 brand towards customers.
So, is the Ei5 L380 worth the retail price of 379,900 to 479,900 yuan? In this article, we will deeply analyze the comprehensive capabilities of the Ei5 L380 from the perspectives of its brand, technology, and competitors.
01
Centuries-old Brand + Geely Technology
In terms of the brand itself, LEVC Ei5 is not a new contender, but rather a reputable brand originating from London, England. The brand was founded in 1908 with a focus on high-end mobility services from the start.
Perhaps, in China, the LEVC brand is not that familiar for many. However, in the UK, it’s a household name. If you’ve watched any of the 007 series, you undoubtedly remember the vintage-style taxi cabs populating the streets. This is the iconic TX Black Cab under LEVC, now a defining label of the city of London.
In significant events, the spacious TX Black Cab has played a vital role, contributing to the London Olympics and serving the royal family. It’s also one of the chosen vehicles for The Peninsula Hotel. It’s thus evident that LEVC carries genuine high-end brand genes.
The long-standing brand history of LEVC, its dedicated focus on space innovation, and its global brand influence have been key factors contributing to Geely’s incorporation of LEVC. Since Geely’s acquisition of LEVC, both parties have invested substantial financial and R&D power to collectively create the world’s first space-oriented architecture SOA, which led to the introduction of the globally-focused LEVC L380.
The LEVC L380 reflects LEVC’s centennial persistence in space innovation, a brand concept that emphasizes the distinctive features of the LEVC L380 and caters to customers’ demand for high-end electric MPVs.
Concerning safety, as a member of the Geely family, the LEVC L380 boasts an abundance of co-ordinated resources. As part of the Geely strategic collaborative system, the LEVC L380 can draw upon the collective technical prowess and experience within the group. This not only optimizes utilization of the resources and minimizes investment but also allows the vehicle to swiftly go through the developmental phase from 0 to 1. In actual tests, the LEVC L380 has delivered commendable results in frontal, rear, and side impact tests.
Secondly, in terms of intelligence, it also uses resources from Geely, and applies the top-tier MEIZU Flyme Auto in the cockpit of L380, with a hardware of ECARX AnTuLuo 1000 Pro computing platform. In practical experience, this cockpit system of L380 reached the mainstream position of current cockpit experience.
Next, the SOA architecture is interesting. Under the guidance of space, L380 has a valid interior length of 3,974 mm, but the vehicle length is still controlled within the range of 5.3 m, without excessively affecting the convenience of driving.
Under the SOA architecture, L380 can choose a 4-row 8-seat version, and the fourth row can be directly collected in the lower space of the rear trunk when not in use. If it’s a 6-seat version, after the sunken space is released, L380 can accommodate the luggage of 6 people travelling at the same time, without compromising the carrying capacity of any passenger.
To match the large space provided by the SOA structure, L380 is designed with a passageway width of 481 mm, a central passage width of 200 mm, and a side sliding door opening width of 890 mm after moving the second-row seats forward, to make the boarding and alighting process more comfortable. From a space perspective, the space presentation of L380 solves many of the pain points of MPVs.
As a pure electric MPV, the choices of battery and motor also guarantee the basic experience of L380. On L380, the smallest battery capacity is 100 kWh, and it goes up to 116 kWh, all from Geely era. The highest battery capacity reaches 140 kWh, which is a Kirin battery from Ningde era. The combination of 3 kinds of batteries ensures the users’ long-distance travel needs. In addition, the top model has a dual-motor 400 kW power system.
So, from the brand and product strength of L380, it combines the unique understanding of high-end pure electric MPVs by high-end brands with a century of history, and integrates the advantages of Geely in brands and technology, creating a pure electric MPV that can continue the high-end brand positioning of LEVC. This is a product that can satisfy users’ pursuit of safety, space and intelligence.
02
A strong competitor for the high-end MPV benchmark.The high-end MPV market still predominantly belongs to established automotive companies with products like the Benz V-Class long-wheelbase priced at approximately 600,000 yuan and the Toyota Alphard valued at around 800,000 yuan, both of which have a solid sales performance in the high-end business MPV sector. Therefore, the L380, crafted by LEVC based on their experience with maximizing space and the globally first space-oriented SOA architecture, demonstrates its unique product power in terms of space usage and flexibility compared to the above competitors. Unlike the Absolute majority of MPVs that are configured with 4/6/7 seats, the L380 is compatible with an 8-seat layout, further paired with 4 tripartitioned 1.93-meter-long sliders, enabling a flexible arrangement of the seats.
The launch event even showcased the 7-seat 2-1-2-2 layout, the 5-seat 2-1-2 layout, and even a horizontal placement of a sofa or a singular premium seat.
Therefore, the Wing Truth L380 offers more versatility in usage compared to the traditional high-end fuel MPV. Additionally, the third row of seats in the 6-seat version of the Wing Truth L380 is also customized as independent aircraft seats. In the entire MPV market, there are few models with six standalone seats, particularly ones that can guarantee space for all six seats like the Wing Truth L380 does. Each seat is made of semi-aniline leather, and the ceiling is also composed of imported Italian Alcantara fabric, greatly contributing to the luxury feel of the cabin.
The advantages in space segregation and flexibility of seat arrangement is LEVC’s unique understanding of the market needs for travel. The vehicle is also structured with a plethora of luxury materials in line with the high-end MPV positioning.
In terms of vehicle intelligence, the Wing Truth L380 offers more convenience in daily usage compared to the Benz V-Class and Toyota Alphard. The cabin is equipped with not only the Flyme Auto car system and SenseTime’s AI large model, but also AR-HUD, Yamaha speakers and more. Basic assisted driving, command lane-changing, automatic parking, remote parking and more are supported by Smart Driving, and there’s even a provision for higher-level intelligent driving in the future. These intelligent configurations are also rare in traditional high-end MPVs.
Finally, let’s look at the hard work invested in the chassis of the Yizhen L380. The suspension hardware employed a front double-ball joint McPherson + rear high-load multi-link structure, coupled with CDC shock absorbers. 4 adjustable air suspensions with 5 gears were also equipped at both front and rear. In terms of hardware, the Yizhen L380 is fully loaded.
In terms of software, it not only makes use of the perception from CDC’s variable damping, but also combines with the camera for assisted driving to form a pre-aiming system, effectively assessing road conditions in advance to allow for immediate reaction from the suspension, ensuring comfort.
Coincidently, our team has had the chance to test drive the Yizhen L380 ahead of time. Those who are interested can take a look.
03
In Conclusion
The launch of the Yizhen L380 serves as a case study for the high-end pure electric MPV market with large spaces. The MPV market in China is growing rapidly; it saw a growth rate of 17.8% in 2023, largely because MPV models provide more space and convenience compared to 6/7-seater SUVs. With the increased penetration of new energy and technological progress, the demand for pure electric MPVs is on the rise, resulting in the emergence of many high-end MPV models from local brands.
At this juncture, LEVC and Geely have introduced the Yizhen L380, priced between 379,900 and 479,900 yuan. Originating from a brand synonymous with high-end mobility for over a century, it has an accurate grasp of the market’s needs. Using Geely’s system and offering reasonable prices, it meets users’ needs for safety, configuration, and luxury in high-end MPVs. In addition, it makes a difference in the high-end MPV market with its size and flexible space layout.
So when considering the positioning and configuration of the Yizhen L380, it’s not only a large-sized, versatile pure electric MPV. Even when compared to some benchmark players in the luxury MPV market, its unique market positioning also boasts considerable market competitiveness. For the century-old British brand LEVC, the Yizhen L380, as the first model released under the Geely umbrella, has also become a continuation of LEVC’s high-end positioning.Written by: Jiang Xiaohei
Edited by: Jiang Xiaohei
This article is a translation by AI of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.