Chinese OEM Li Auto has open a new design studio in Munich
Recent years have seen a surge in Chinese brands looking to grow in Europe and tap new sources of inspiration for global design. Li Auto is adding its name to the mix, establishing a new design studio in Munich.
“This small, dynamic team of around five to seven designers will operate independently, serving as an incubator for our studios in Shanghai and Beijing,” senior exterior design director, Benjamin Baum, tells Car Design News. While it does fit the description of a satellite studio, Baum emphasises that it will be closely connected with the mothership in China and not entirely autonomous.
“Our approach is to view all our studios as one cohesive team rather than separate entities,” he explains. “Designers will have the flexibility to work in their preferred studio, depending on project needs.” All going well, there is the expectation that its role could evolve into something much grander, too. “Over time, we anticipate that our Munich studio will grow into a fully-fledged studio, on par with our Beijing and Shanghai locations.”
Like other similar outposts – Nio is also in Munich while GAC is in Milan – the Li Auto studio will be nimble and act as a catalyst for creative projects, both on the more speculative advanced side but also for production. It is due to open at the end of September 2024.
Li Auto is perhaps one of the lesser-known brands in Europe but it made quite the splash when revealing the Mega, an appropriately-named electric people carrier that combines sizeable proportions – more than five metres long – with a sleek, modern exterior shaped by aerodynamics. It launched in China in March this year.
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