The Li L9 is a suitable model for urban self-driving and short trips.
With a maximum height of 1.8 meters, there are practically no city travel restrictions. Hybrid capabilities with both fuel and electricity greatly enhance flexibility, eliminating almost all range anxiety. The near 1000 km range on a full tank of gas and a full charge guarantees long-distance travel. Highly electrified, which I believe is the greatest advantage of a hybrid. It’s incredibly convenient for camping as you have easy access to power. It’s also ideal for using the air conditioning and heating while camping. The L9’s strong air purification function slightly improves sleep comfort. The reverse power generation feature is new; even when the battery is low, starting the engine can generate power equivalent to a high-power generator. Exaggerated external discharge capability: 3.5 kW, enough to power cooking appliances.
Drawbacks: Probably due to safety concerns, there is no constant power mode. The vehicle can only provide discharging below 24 hours by activating the camping mode.
There’s no built-in Wi-Fi hotspot, so I ended up buying a separate CPE…
The refrigerator lacks a freezer, which I feel would have been quite useful. It’s not difficult to implement, and yet it’s missing.
To address these issues, I used a 40 kg load and the available space in the rear compartment.
I added a Zhenghao De 2 power generator, which can provide power to the fridge and network for around 16 hours with just 1 kWh of energy. The Duomeida fridge is a well-established brand in the RV industry, with strong freezing capabilities and resistance to tilting and bumps. The ZTE CPE 8020, however, falls short compared to Huawei; its software capability is subpar. Thankfully, I only had to configure it once and then leave it be.
In addition, I packed 80 kg of photography equipment and a bunch of digital gear, spare clothes, an inflatable mattress, an electric blanket, and a heated mattress pad. With the three-bedroom campervan, I only have space left in the driver’s seat, the back row behind the driver, and above the inflatable bed…
The inflatable mattress is always set up, ready for camping at any time. This flexibility is crucial…
Oh, I almost forgot, there’s also a Midea 3-in-1 microwave oven. It’s an air fryer, toaster, and microwave all in one, making it extremely convenient for cooking various pre-packaged foods. No need for pots and pans, just easy cooking.
For a solo trip, the official fit and finish would certainly be better, but the lack of a single-person version is quite troublesome. Having to fold down the driver’s seat each time for sleeping is quite inconvenient.
Of course, traditional gasoline cars also have many options suitable for solo driving, but compared to the Ideal L9, they sacrifice:
Firstly, the convenience of using electricity is significantly reduced. Unless additional power sources are installed, the cost of just adding 10 kWh is over 40,000 RMB (using a 48V system). This also adds almost 100 kg of extra weight. Of course, buying a regular outdoor power source with 1-2 kWh is an option, but it severely limits its use cases. The issue of temperature balance is difficult to solve. Unless you bring additional outdoor air conditioning or electric blankets, the parked air conditioning mode, in terms of both economics and safety, is far less advantageous than the Ideal L9. Urban accessibility is compromised, as most off-road gasoline cars are taller than 2 meters. About half of underground parking lots are inaccessible (this is what I consider the primary consideration for urban self-driving). So unless you’re mainly driving in natural settings, urban self-driving will be quite inconvenient. Highway driving assistance is a significant advantage for long-distance self-driving. It significantly reduces the accumulation of fatigue during high-speed driving.
Of course, off-road gasoline vehicles have many advantages, including complete off-road capabilities, etc. In the end, it’s about weighing the pros and cons and making a choice. Besides, the Ideal L9 can handle light off-roading quite well, with its hub perspective and off-road recovery mode easily handling various light off-road scenarios. Yesterday, I traveled along a gravel road to the wind turbines. Despite going over bumps and large potholes, the ride was very comfortable and easy. The suspension’s significance became apparent.